Call to seize uninsured vehicles

Crashes involving uninsured drivers cost £500m a year

The cars of uninsured drivers should be confiscated as part of a crackdown on motorists who drive without cover, an insurance body has said.

Better police enforcement and tougher penalties are needed to deter uninsured drivers the Association of British Insurers (ABI) added.

The ABI said one million motorists are driving without insurance.

Accidents involving uninsured drivers cost the insurance industry £500m a year, adding £30 a year to premiums.

Penalties

Cracking down on uninsured driving will not only improve safety on our roads, but also help reduce the cost of motor insurance John Parker, Association of British Insurers

At present, motorists caught driving without insurance on average receive a fine of £150 and three penalty points.

The ABI said that fines were not deterring uninsured drivers and called for more effective penalties for people caught without car insurance, including confiscating vehicles, community service orders and back payments of insurance.

To help catch more uninsured drivers the ABI said existing information held on the Motor Insurance Database should be linked with licensing and tax data held by the DVLA.

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The idea would be to create a database which will tell police if a car is correctly taxed and insured, making it far more difficult for uninsured drivers to avoid detection.

"Cracking down on uninsured driving will not only improve safety on our roads, but also help reduce the cost of motor insurance for honest and responsible drivers," John Parker, head of general insurance at the ABI, said.