Police seizing more uninsured vehicles

Police are seizing more than 460 uninsured vehicles a day, figures released today by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) reveal.

In 2008, police seized more than 170,000 uninsured vehicles, more than a two-fold increase on the 78,000 uninsured vehicles seized in 2006, the first full year of the scheme.

New legislation introduced in mid 2005 giving police the powers to seize vehicles being driven uninsured, improved access to the Motor Insurance Database (MID) and the national roll-out of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) equipment are key factors thought to have contributed to the significant increase.

Many seizures of uninsured vehicles stem from the use of the MID ANPR hotlist (MIDAS). Hertfordshire Constabulary, on behalf of the police service, has been working closely with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau and the National Policing Improvement Agency to improve the quality, speed and accuracy of data on the hotlist and ultimately assist forces to detect and seize more uninsured vehicles.

ACPO lead on ANPR and chief constable Hertfordshire constabulary, Frank Whiteley, said: “The growing number of vehicle seizures reflects a tremendous achievement by both the police service and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau. It demonstrates our joint commitment to eradicating the danger caused by uninsured drivers. Such offenders risk lives, injury to other road users and themselves, and damage to livelihoods and property.

“Driving without insurance is not a victimless crime. It is estimated that uninsured and untraced drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 every year.[1] Uninsured drivers are more likely to be involved in road traffic accidents, more likely to be non-compliant with other road traffic requirements and potentially involved in other criminal activity.”

Ashton West, chief executive from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, said: “The cost to the economy and society in general of uninsured driving in the UK is unnecessarily high. The UK’s highest levels of uninsured drivers are concentrated in the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, London Metropolitan and Merseyside. Our work with the police has been very successful and must continue alongside additional measures to make it harder for the uninsured driver to hide from prosecution.

“All law abiding motorists who are insured are paying nearly £30 each towards a total sum in excess of £500m. This is how much it costs to compensate people injured by uninsured drivers. The message is clear, uninsured drivers have no right to use their vehicles on our roads and when they do, they are being caught.”