Crackdown on uninsured drivers sees police seize 13 vehicles to make our roads safer

Officers from Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, and Hampshire Police forces took part in the one-day operation focused on uninsured driving across the region.

Timed to coincide with the busiest day of travel into the South West following the start of the school holiday period, 13 uninsured vehicles were removed from roads across the area. Alongside this, a further eight vehicles were insured at the roadside.

The MIB said that uninsured driving remains a serious problem across the UK, and that every 20 minutes, someone falls victim to an uninsured or hit-and-run driver, with one person so seriously injured that they require life-long care.

It said removing uninsured vehicles from the road helps protect all road users from potential harm. Additionally, uninsured drivers are frequently linked to other criminal activities, including drug or drink driving, excessive speeding, and organised crime such as drug running.

As well as the 13 vehicles seized for being uninsured or inadequately covered, stops for suspected insurance offences also enabled officers to detect a range of other criminal activity, including:

• Speeding
• Mobile phone offences
• Fuel theft
• Tyre and load offences
• Drivers without a valid licence
• Vehicles being driven without a valid MOT and without having paid road tax

The collaboration between the three forces and MIB – the UK not-for-profit responsible for making roads safer by reducing uninsured driving and compensating victims of uninsured or hit-and-run collisions – allowed officers to harness uninsured vehicle data and utilise ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) to detect and stop those driving with no or inadequate motor insurance.

The operation was further supported on the ground by MIB law enforcement liaison officers, who provided roadside checking of Navigate and a direct link to MIB’s Police Helpline, speeding up the process of confirming the insurance status of stopped vehicles. 

While many of the drivers whose vehicles were seized during the operation are believed to have knowingly flouted the law, MIB are taking the opportunity to urge all drivers to check their insurance status. Common and often innocent mistakes, such as bounced payments, failed auto-renewals, or mistyped details including registration numbers, can leave people unknowingly uninsured, whilst some drivers may have purchased the wrong class-of-use for their needs.

Roads Policing Inspector Chris Sharland, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “Today we have worked in collaboration with our colleagues in the South West and MIB around dealing with uninsured drivers. The impact of uninsured driving reaches further than the individuals involved and is not constrained to just the financial impact.

“We take this seriously, because seizing these vehicles and removing them from our roads will greatly reduce the risk to the majority of motorists who do comply with the law. Offenders today will now face the prospect of penalty points on their driving licences and fines.”

Martin Saunders, Head of Uninsured Driving Prevention at MIB said: “Uninsured driving is a problem every day of the year. However, during this busy period of holidaying within the UK, we recommend that all motorists check they have adequate cover in place and that all details on their policy are as expected.

Utilising key moments where there is a large influx of vehicles, such as these holiday traffic ‘pinch points’, allows us to not only target those who choose to drive uninsured, but provides us with an opportunity to educate those who are unaware.

“We urge all motorists to check their insurance policy is in place, is appropriate for their needs and to reach out to their insurer if they are unsure on any part of their policy – we don’t want any driver to become uninsured in the first place.

“We will continue to work with police across the UK year-round to make sure that those choosing to drive uninsured have nowhere to hide.”