- the introduction of automatic fines of at least £60 for driving whilst uninsured;
- police having access to insurance company records;
- making it illegal to own a car without insuring it or declaring that it is not being used;
- police being able to seize and crush uninsured vehicles; and
- drivers being given custodial sentences on conviction, where appropriate.
The planned changes will mean police can automatically send out fines based on insurance company records.
Statistically, uninsured drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents and
it is estimated that there are one million uninsured drivers in the UK costing motorists up to an extra £30 a year in motor insurance premiums.
Some insurers have started to remove from their policies the ‘driving other cars’ provision that allows motorists to drive other people’s vehicles as long as they have the owner’s permission. Such clauses in policies are being abused by drivers who purchase small cars with cheap insurance and then use high performance vehicles belonging to others.
If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, compensation may be available through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, an organisation established to compensate victims of accidents caused by uninsured or untraced drivers. This is very poorly publicised, leaving many people who find themselves in such a situation under the impression that they have no right of redress.
