Crackdown
on uninsured driving gets underway
See
our earlier NEWS item on the forthcoming DVLA crackdown. More
Visit the askMID website. More
Checking on the DVLA and insurance status of your classic MG
- see our gateway webpage with useful links. More
See the earlier DVLA press release on 23rd May 2011. More
Notes with the DVLA press release on 20th June 2011:
1. A total of 449,228 successful searches (vehicle found) were
carried out on the MID in May compared to 369,978 in April.
2. Latest
estimates are that around 4% (around 1.4 million) of GB motorists
drive uninsured. The penalty for driving without insurance
is a maximum fine of £5,000 and 6-8 penalty points or
possible disqualification. Around 200,000 offenders are convicted
for uninsured driving every year.
3. Currently
every responsible motorist pays an average £30 each
year within their premiums to cover crashes involving uninsured
and untraced drivers. It is estimated that uninsured and untraced
drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 every year.
4. Measures
already introduced in the Serious Organised Crime and Police
Act 2005 gave police improved access to the MID and powers
to seize vehicles driven without insurance. In 2009 around
180,000 uninsured vehicles were seized.
Posted: 180611
Back to homepage |
 |
Tougher
approach to uninsured drivers
Whilst desirable, classic car owners could easily
trip up by forgetting their insurance renewal needs
attending to when their car is garaged but not on
a SORN. |
Press release from DVLA dated
20th June 2011
Crackdown on uninsured driving gets underway
New laws to tackle uninsured driving will be
enforced from today.
Under the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement law
it is an offence to be the keeper of an uninsured
vehicle, rather than just to drive when uninsured.
From today registered keepers identified as having
an uninsured vehicle will be sent a letter telling
them that their vehicle appears to be uninsured,
and warning them of the consequences if they fail
to take action. Those who do not act on this warning
- either by taking out insurance or declaring their
vehicle off the road - will receive a £100
fine and could have their vehicle clamped, seized
and destroyed. They may also face a court prosecution.
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), which last
month launched a national advertising campaign to
raise awareness of the new law, has seen a 20 per
cent rise in the number of successful searches by
motorists who have checked their insurance details
are recorded on the Motor Insurance Database (MID).
All drivers can check their vehicle is recorded
correctly for free at www.askMID.com.
Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said: “Anyone
who receives a warning letter should take action
immediately by getting insurance or contacting the
DVLA to declare their vehicle off the road. Failure
to act will result in a fine, court action or seeing
your car seized and destroyed.”
Ashton
West, Chief Executive at the MIB, said: “We
know who the registered keepers are with vehicles
that have no insurance and letters will be dropping
onto their doormats from this week. It’s
no longer a case of if you will get caught, but
when you will get caught. An estimated 1.4 million
drivers are flouting the law by driving without
insurance. This is a serious offence and results
in accidents that cause about 160 deaths each
year and more than 23,000 people are injured by
uninsured drivers. It also adds around £30
per year to honest drivers’ motor insurance
policies.”
Under the new system:
The DVLA will work in partnership with the Motor
Insurers’ Bureau to identify uninsured vehicles.
Motorists will receive a letter telling them that
their vehicle appears to be uninsured and warning
them that they will be fined unless they take
action.
If the keeper fails to insure the vehicle they
will be given a £100 fine.
If the vehicle remains uninsured - regardless
of whether the fine is paid – further action
will be taken. If the vehicle is on public land
it could then be clamped, seized and destroyed.
Alternatively court action could be taken, with
the offender facing a fine of up to £1,000.
Seized vehicles would only be released when the
keeper provided evidence that the registered keeper
is no longer committing the offence of having
no insurance and the person proposing to drive
the vehicle away is insured to do so.
Vehicles with a valid Statutory Off Road Notice
(SORN) will not be required to be insured.
The new law will run alongside the existing offence
of using a vehicle with no insurance, which is
enforced by the police. The police seize 180,000
vehicles each year for this offence, and offenders
also face a £200 fixed penalty or a court
fine of up to £5,000 and possible disqualification.
Press
release from DVLA released on 20th June 2011
|
|
|
