It is believed that there are now over 2 million people driving on Britain’s roads without any insurance cover and Police figures have revealed that the number is increasing at an alarming rate every year. Figures show that in the whole of 2007 14,520 cars were seized in London, however the most recent figures show that last year 14,133 were seized between April and September alone.
Driving without insurance is a particular problem with young drivers aged between 17 and 21, with 1 in 5 driving without insurance. It is believed that this is mainly due to the cost of insurance for young people being too high and many believe that it should be made cheaper to try and encourage more people into getting insurance. This is the view of one driver, Mr. Gary Street, who was hit by a young uninsured driver on his way to work. Mr. Street suffered neck and back injuries in the accident which kept him off work for a month and the accident also affected him financially as he had to claim on his own insurance costing him £900 for his policy excess and his premiums have also increased as a result of losing his no claims bonus.
There has been a recent crackdown by police on uninsured drivers following an amendment to the Road Traffic Act in 2005. Prior to this amendment, police could only report uninsured vehicles to traffic officers however the amendments to the act have now given police increased powers. Metropolitan Police officer Stuart Buchan commented that “In 2005, amendments were made under SOCPA legislation to the Road Traffic Act, which gave officers in uniform powers to seize uninsured vehicles and those being driven other than in accordance with a license”. It is believed that the increase in powers over uninsured vehicles has also led to a decrease in serious crime as there is a clear link between the two.
The top five uninsured driver UK hotspots have been revealed by research from the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB):
- Greater London – 13%
- Merseyside – 12%
- Greater Manchester – 10%
- West Yorkshire – 7%
- West Midlands – 7%
Uninsured drivers are the bane of Britain’s roads and, due to a lack of insurance, cause misery to thousands of motorists every year. If you are injured in a road traffic accident with an uninsured driver, do not despair; contact The Injury Lawyers, and we will give you comprehensive legal advice and take your claim on a no win no fee basis. We will recover compensation for your injuries as well as the financial losses you have sustained.
