Uninsured Drivers 'To Have Vehicles Seized'

by Mark Harris
Published on 1 September 2008
Uninsured Drivers 'To Have Vehicles Seized'

Offenders could have their cars seized and crushed under new legislation, ministers have said.

Uninsured drivers are to face a government crackdown, the Guardian reports.

New laws giving authorities additional powers on the matter are being planned by the Ministry of Transport, and is thought to be the subject of meetings between officials and representatives of the car insurance industry this week. Proposed punishments for the crime are thought to include £100 fines and even seizure of vehicles if previous warnings go unheeded.

Plans to compare insurance providers' databases with DVLA records in order to catch out the criminals are also set to be discussed.

It is estimated that at least 1.5 million of Britain's 30 million motorists are currently without car insurance, although analysis from the Liberal Democrats last year suggested that this figure could top two million. Uninsured drivers are estimated to kill 160 people and injure 23,000 in the UK each year.

It is estimated that this group add around £30 to every car insurance premium paid in the UK.

Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, commented: "A small hard core of drivers who refuse to insure their cars push up premiums for responsible motorists and kill or injure thousands of people each year. We're determined to get these antisocial drivers off our roads. These tough new powers will leave uninsured drivers with nowhere to hide."

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