Road Safety - 27,000 Uninsured Cars Seized by Police in 2015

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Letter to Branches





No. 574/15
Ref: V5/15
Date: 3 September 2015


To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues

Road Safety - 27,000 Uninsured Cars Seized by Police in 2015 So Far - 'Just Tip of Iceberg':

Over 27,000 uninsured cars have been seized so far this year, a study has shown.
A total of 27,688 cars have been seized in 2015 so far. Last year 70,430 cars were taken by the police for the whole year.

The cars taken off the road by Police forces across the country include two Ferraris, three Lamborghinis, 10 Bentleys and 40 Porsches.

The Metropolitan Police seized the largest number of cars at 9,935. This is twice the total of the constabulary with the second highest figure - West Yorkshire recorded at 4,125.

The study was commissioned by Churchill Car Insurance which issued Freedom of
Information requests to the UK's Police forces on June 2nd. The analysis is based on responses from the 23 forces that responded fully.

The report authors stated that the analysis exposes just the tip of the uninsured iceberg.
Thousands upon thousands of motorists across the country are driving without insurance, which is truly terrifying. An urgent examination of the penalties for uninsured motoring is required, introducing sentences that are a real deterrent and that will keep these irresponsible motorists off the road.

Some 1,892 of the seized cars have been sold at auction, raising just over £1 million.
More than 6,736 vehicles have been crushed, generating a scrap value of over £600,000.

What to do if hit by an uninsured driver

At the time of the accident:

Any motorist that collides with you is unlikely to admit that they have no car insurance.
You should make sure that you collect as much information as possible, including the following:

1. The other driver’s vehicle make and model, and registration number. This is really the most important piece of information to collect, as if the driver is uninsured, then any name or address that they give you could be false.
2. The driver’s name and address. Your insurance company will require this for all accidents.
3. Take notes regarding the damage to the other vehicle involved.
4. Take note of as much detail about the accident scene itself as you can – including road markings, weather and light conditions, whether the cars had their lights on, signals being made by cars at the time etc.
5. If there are any independent witnesses, be sure to get their contact details in order to collect statements.
6. If you have a camera or mobile phone with a camera facility, take lots of shots of the scene – and try to get the other driver in there.

Call the police if:

If any of the vehicles are causing an obstruction, there is bodily injury, or you have hit third party property such as a wall. They will file an accident report, and a copy of this will prove handy when dealing with any other parties later involved with the incident – such as your insurance company.

If you do call the police, then they will request that the drivers involved produces their
licence, certificate of insurance and MoT certificate, in order to ensure that they are legally permitted to be on the road.

The incident does not warrant a call to the police if there are none of the above reasons however if you suspect the other driver is uninsured, inform your insurer and do not take matters into your own hands. Insurance companies have tools to see if an insurance policy on a particular car has been taken out, or can otherwise make inquiries based on the registered keeper of the vehicle.
 
Unlicenced drivers

Unlicenced drivers are unlikely to be insured and if they do hold an Insurance Certificate it is likely to be invalid as a result of them being unlicenced.

Unlicenced drivers fall into several categories:

- those who do not hold a valid licence
- those who hold a licence, but do not abide by the conditions of the licence
- those who have been disqualified or have had their licence revoked.

Little is known about the extent of unlicenced driving and the implications for road safety but it is likely to have a very negative safety impact. It is estimated by the Government that about 400,000 drivers may be driving without a valid licence, representing one percent of the total driving numbers in the UK.

Driving Offences & Maximum Penalties For the above

Driving Without Insurance is an offence, and the Penalty for the basic offence is 6 to 8 penalty points, a fine of up to £5,000, and possible disqualification. A Fixed Penalty Notice is £200 plus 6 Penalty Points.
Driving without a valid driving licence is an offence, and the penalty for the basic offence is 3 to 6 penalty points, a fine of up to £1,000, and possible disqualification.

Yours sincerely
 


Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer