Police join against uninsured drivers

Around 35 police forces across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are doing their part to help remove uninsured drivers from UK roads, according to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).

It is called Operation Drive Insured and is a week of increased efforts to help protect road users by taking uninsured drivers off of the roads.

Every year the MIB Police Helpline records hundreds of incidents where an uninsured driver is found without a driving licence or using an untaxed or stolen vehicle.

In 2017 MIB received 11,000 claims from victims of uninsured drivers, with hundreds of people who had suffered life changing injuries. The annual cost to compensate these victims comes to over £100m and is funded by the motor insurance premiums of all law-abiding motorists.

‘A driver with no valid insurance has no legal right to be on the road and removing them undoubtedly makes roads safer. The increased activity during Operation Drive Insured will play a significant support,’ Neil Drane, head of enforcement, MIB, commented.

Using data from the Motor Insurance Database (MID) police are using ANPR cameras to easily identify and stop motorists that appear to be uninsured.

Any driver found without insurance during Operation Drive Insured is likely to have their vehicle seized, get six points on their licence, a £300 fine and could face court prosecution.