Consumers Unprepared for Crackdown on Uninsured Drivers
Crackdown Moves Step Closer as AA Warns That Many Will be Caught Out
It is no secret that there is an abundance of uninsured drivers out there and whilst the cost of injuring someone on the road is naturally bad enough there is also the added burden of rising premiums to counteract it. But a new system is on the way to crack down on uninsured drivers, one that will see the vehicles themselves targeted, whether they are being driven or not.
But it has been warned by the AA that many drivers will be caught out by the new system, particularly if they are late to renew their car insurance when it runs out.
Currently it is an offence to drive an uninsured vehicle so action is taken if someone is caught driving when they have not been insured to do so. However, new regulations that emerged yesterday (18th April 2011) will make it an offence to own a vehicle that is uninsured – unless said vehicle has a valid Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).
According a press release from the Department for Transport, an uninsured vehicle-owner will first receive a warning letter that will require them to take action. After that a £100 fine will be handed over if insurance is still to be obtained and after that, should not action be taken on behalf of the motorist, the vehicle could be detained, clamped or even destroyed. As such the DVLA will be given new powers to carry out these actions and they will work in conjunction with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau to help to discover which vehicles are uninsured.
“Uninsured drivers injure 23,000 people each year and add £30 to every responsible motorist’s premium so we need to do everything we can to keep them off the roads,” said Mike Penning, a Junior Transport Minister speaking in Parliament. “These new powers will help us to take targeted action while freeing up police time to deal with the hard core of offenders.”
A publicity campaign will be required in advance of the changes to ensure that drivers are not unfairly caught out – something that the AA has been concerned about in a recent press release, particularly as 59% of drivers are unaware of the new rules – with the first warning letters being sent out at the end of June. The AA figures come from a recent AA/Populs study.
