Fleets face postcode lottery of risk from uninsured drivers
There are 300,000 uninsured vehicles on the roads, according to newly-released research.
A plague of uninsured drivers on the UK’s roads is creating a postcode lottery of risk for fleet managers and stretching police resources as they try to deter criminals.
The UK’s Motor Insurers’ Bureau estimates there are 300,000 uninsured vehicles on the roads every day; drivers are also more likely to be unlicensed or involved in crime, which increases the chances of hit and run incidents.
So far this year, almost 115,000 uninsured drivers have had their vehicle seized in joint initiatives between the MIB and police forces nationwide.
Fleets around Birmingham face some of the biggest problems. West Midlands postal areas account for eight of the top 15 hotspots, but postcodes within Northumbria, London, Thames Valley, South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester also feature.
Top 15 hotspots for uninsured driving
B11, Birmingham
B21, Birmingham
DA17, Bexley
WV2, Wolverhampton
NE29, North Tyneside
HP12, Buckinghamshire
B18, Birmingham
SK1, Stockport
B8, Birmingham
WS4, Walsall
CV7, Solihull
BL7, Bolton
B33, Birmingham
DN8, Doncaster
MK7, Milton
Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver; each day at least one person suffers injuries so severe they need life-long care.
Uninsured vehicles seized and crushed
More than 60% of uninsured vehicles seized by the police as part of a recent operation are linked to secondary offences including drink and drug driving, theft, and serious organised crime networks.
MIB estimates all injuries caused by uninsured and hit-and-run drivers potentially cost the economy nearly £2.4 billion a year in emergency services, medical care, loss of productivity and human costs.
Unfortunately the penalties do not reflect the damage uninsured driving causes to the economy, businesses, road users and their families.
Uninsured drivers receive a £300 fixed penalty notice and six points on their licence, while their vehicle may be seized and even crushed.
MIB said that in addition to deliberate law-breaking, there are also many cases of drivers forgetting to renew policies.
To confirm questions about insurance status, visit mib.org.uk/driveinsured
Police crackdown targets danger drivers
A police crackdown targeting uninsured drivers in West Yorkshire led to nearly 100 vehicles being seized.
In total, 96 vehicles were taken off the roads during Operation Scalis, a joint initiative with the MIB, which took place between June and October, with a total of 394 vehicles stopped.
Uninsured van caught twice a year apart
A van that was first seized in 2023 for being uninsured was again seized for the same crime - exactly a year to the day since the first incident, reports the Wisbech Standard,
A police spokesman said: “We had a déjà vu moment and, lo and behold, the driver hadn’t learnt from last year as the vehicle was uninsured again. Hopefully, they will learn their lesson.”
