By Steve Ranger, 8 November 2005 12:10
NEWS
Police forces have started to use automatic number plate recognition cameras to spot, seize and destroy cars being driven without insurance.
The cameras are linked to a database which contains details of all vehicles registered in the UK which are believed to be uninsured.
Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling, said in a statement: "We are creating a new offence of keeping a vehicle without insurance. This will be enforced through a new database of insurance details which means that uninsured drivers don't even need to be on the road to be caught."
It is estimated that every law-abiding motorist pays an extra £30 per year because of uninsured drivers.
Evidence indicates that up to one in 10 vehicles on the road is being used illegally - many by people with no insurance. And people with no insurance are more likely to be involved in other criminal activity, and in collisions, according to police.
Earlier this year the government gave the police new powers, to seize and ultimately dispose of any vehicle being found driven uninsured.
There are an estimated two million vehicles being driven uninsured on Britain's roads.
Comments
There are 19 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
The police will not be spotting uninsured cars - they will be spotting licence plates for which no corresponding insurance exists. This will give uninsured drivers a strong incentive to use false number plates. Since it's now hard to get plates made up if you don't have registration documents, expect a sharp rise in number plate theft ...
2. Mike
Keeping a vehicle without insurance? Some people legitimately, keep 2 cars and only tax, insure and drive one of them at a time. tax and insurance do not always coincide, so you could have a vehicle with a valid tax (where you haven't filled out the SORD statement yet), but where the insurance has expired. - Another building block for the authoritarian police state!
3. anonymous
A BIG flaw in this is that people are insured to drive cars not owned by them or hired under a hp agreement.
Just because the registered keeper doesn't insure a car it doesn't mean that when it is being driven on the road, it is uninsured.
4. Julie
I own the car and road tax it but my partner drives and insures it so does this mean my car will show as uninsured.
The theory is good but not to my mind practical.
5. anonymous
Does this mean that the car i currently own that is not in use, parked up in my garage needs to be insured even though i have no intention of using it. Yet more cost (and ultimatly more revinue for the govournment through insurance tax).
6. Angus Cleaver
Is this the only vehicle database that is accurate? Maybe they can tell the DVLA how it's done, or are the police going to lose confidence in the insurance database too?
7. Bill Citrine
My son has a classic MkII Escort in my garage - a restoration project. The SORN document is up to date ie. declared off the road. It is not insured as it's not in a suitable condition to be driven on the road - there is no engine in it at present! Will he soon be commiting an offence of "keeping a vehicle without insurance"?
8. Richard Bufton
Kepping a vehicle "without insurance" needs clarifying as an offence. Both my own and my wife's insurance cover us to drive any vehicle NOT BELONGING TO US on a 3rd party basis. This currently means we can borrow a car that has current tax, has an MOT if more than 3 years old, but does not have insurance of it's own. It would be perfectly legal for us to drive this 'uninsured' car on the road under our insurance and there is no requiremend in current law for the vehicle to have a specific insurance of its own. I believe this aspect needs investigation before they pass even more unworkable laws.
9. frank ferguson
Richard Bufton makes a very good point but this can only happen for a limited period as it is not possible to tax a vehicle without a valid certificate of in surance relating to that vehicle.
10. Colin Robertson
If this is an accurate report, it would be scandalous to require insurance on a vehicle that is merely "owned" but is not used on the road. It is already required to have insurance in order to obtain a licence to use the vehicle, but insurance should otherwise remain tied to use, not to ownership. Only use on the roads justifies compulsory insurance. There are other ways of dealing directly with the uninsured vehicle problem. New crimes of no social significance should not be invented just to make the crimes of real importance easier to detect.
11. David Harvey
Being a law abiding motorist when can I expect my £30 a year refund?
12. Jeremy Wickins
Maybe the government is moving to a system where we insure the car, not the driver. I know this is the system in the Czech Republic - I drive my father-in-law's car with nothing more than the appropriate paperwork in my possession. They don't have car tax either ...
13. anonymous
The first comment is the most important and relevant. This is yet another building block towards the "enforcement society" aka - a police state in which close monitoring mechanistically enforces compliance. Personally, I will happily pay the alleged £30 per year that the current situation costs me in order NOT to live in a police state!
14. steve
ok... just a small point, i wonder how many uninsured drivers bother to register the vehicle in the first place, and if the car is not registered , how will the police know where to find it ?
15. Paul
Richard Buftons point is interesting because while he is at the wheel with his third party insurance the car is covered. As soon as he parks it and walks away it is not, as it is he that is insured not the vehicle, it is then on the road without insurance and falls foul of the rules!
16. Andrew Bell
Oh look, once again the police have found a nice, safe money making scheme that involves no actual police work or risk. Still it's better than getting out there nad catching some actual criminals.
Pick on the motorist - The "New Labour" Justice System.
17. Clive Hornsby
Richard
Insurance cover to drive any vehicle NOT BELONGING TO the policyholder on a 3rd party basis means you are insured. BUT the vehicle does have to be insured and this has been the law for at least 35 years.
It is illegal for you to drive this 'uninsured' car on the road under your insurance.
18. A Zhang
Road side Plate scanning cameras are expensive and less effective with its limited coverage and already limited police resources.
Neighbours know their neighbours better than traffic wardens and police. As long as uninsured driving is illegal, a nation wide web site linked to insurance and DVLA database can be set up where people are encouraged to enter reg. numbers and models of the cars they think might be doggy. In return incentives from insurance companies or motorist organisations are given in a proper way for cheaper insurance or road assistance etc.
There is truly no hiding places for uninsured cars: Mr Uninsured would pick up the phone straight away to buy his insurance after seeing advertisement on TV etc. promoting this web site.
19. anonymous
It now makes perfect sense why so much effort is spent by the police in pursuing motorists. The evidence shows that the majority of the criminal population are driving around in their cars! It would also support why crimes committed on "foot" are very rarely resolved.