The Government is to introduce tough new measures aimed at tackling the problem of uninsured motorists.
It is estimated that there are around 1.5 million motorists in the UK who drive without insurance cover. These drivers cost the economy about £500 million annually, which adds up to an average cost of an extra £30 a year to the insurance premiums of law abiding motorists. Furthermore, uninsured and untraced drivers are more likely to be involved in road traffic accidents and are responsible for an estimated 160 deaths and 23,000 injuries on the roads each year. Under the current system, offenders must be caught before they can be prosecuted.
Road Safety Minister Mike Penning is set to announce that keeping a vehicle off the road without insurance will become illegal unless the vehicle has been registered by way of a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau will work together to identify uninsured drivers.
If the database comparison indicates that a vehicle is uninsured or has no SORN, a letter will be sent to the registered keeper informing them that they must insure the vehicle within a set period. If the keeper takes no action, he or she will face an initial fixed penalty fine of £100. If the vehicle continues to remain uninsured, the keeper will face prosecution and a fine of up to £5,000 and eight penalty points added to their licence. A continued failure to act will result in the vehicle being clamped, seized and destroyed