Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver and tragically, each day at least one person suffers an injury so severe that they require life-long care.

Therefore, on 21-27 November all police forces will be executing Op Drive Insured in an urgent bid to stop dangerous uninsured motorists and protect road users.

MIB (Motor Insurers’ Bureau) which is a not-for-profit organisation that compensates people who are hit by uninsured and hit-and-run drivers, received claims from over 26,000 victims in 2021.

MIB has partnered with NPCC’s National Roads Policing Operations, Intelligence and Investigations (NRPOII) to launch the week-long op, to see an increase in uninsured vehicles seized across the UK.

Motorists are urged to make sure their insurance is valid to avoid being caught up in the action.

“It’s sadly become an all-too-common experience to hear on the news that yet another person’s life has been cut short after being hit by an illegal motorist. We’re working day and night with our police partners to put an end to this. We hope Op Drive Insured sends a clear message that no one is above the law and those who choose to drive without insurance will not get away with it.” - Paul Farley, Law Enforcement Manager at MIB

In addition to causing more collisions, uninsured drivers have a significant economic impact with honest road users racking up added costs of nearly £500 million in their premiums each year.

Furthermore, using government figures on the average value of prevention, MIB estimates that injuries caused by uninsured and hit-and-run drivers potentially cost the economy nearly £2.2 billion a year in emergency services, medical care, loss of productivity and human costs.

During the week of action, police will use the Motor Insurance Database (MID) which is a live record of all motor insurance policies, to see if drivers are insured. If this is disputed by the driver, MIB will liaise with the insurer in question in real time to confirm the vehicle’s insurance status.

Whilst Op Drive Insured is taking place across all regions of the UK, extra attention will be given to uninsured hotspots in each local region. At a national level, Birmingham has the highest levels of uninsured driving, whilst some roads in Scotland are amongst the safest in the UK.

 

THE SCALE OF UNINSURED DRIVING IN THE UK*

Highest levels of uninsured driving B18 in Birmingham B9 in Birmingham B8 in Birmingham B21 in Birmingham B6 in Birmingham RM19 in Purfleet B66 in Smethwick M8 in Manchester B11 in Birmingham B10 in Birmingham

Lowest levels of uninsured driving G4 in Glasgow BH18 in Poole TD7 in Selkirk PA28 in Campbeltown SG3 in Knebworth PA20 in Isle of Bute EH1 in Edinburgh LL61 in Isle of Anglesey AB53 in Turriff TD5 in Kelso

 

Simon Foster, Police and Crime Commissioner at West Midlands Police, said:

“Many people, like me, will be deeply concerned about the number of deliberately uninsured drivers in the West Midlands. These people are reckless, thoughtless and have no regard for others.  

“Rest assured, West Midlands Police will deal with those people that do not feel the law applies to them, robustly, so as to ensure they are held to account for their actions.”

Roads Minister Richard Holden, said:

“Dangerous uninsured drivers aren’t just a threat to road safety, they also free-ride off everyone else and can leave law-abiding citizens out of pocket. Driving without insurance is highly illegal, dangerous and needs to be clamped down on.

“We are committed to improving road safety and have given enforcement authorities access to vital data to help them clamp down on these illegal uninsured drivers to get them off our roads.”

Uninsured drivers will likely have their vehicle seized (and potentially crushed), receive a £300 fixed penalty notice and six licence points. Furthermore, they could face court and receive an unlimited fine and/or a driving ban. A driving conviction can also impact job prospects.

So far this year over 100,000 uninsured drivers have had their vehicle seized, with a third crushed.

 

What else is being done to tackle uninsured driving?

Whilst most uninsured drivers are complicit in the act, there are unfortunate occasions when people unwittingly drive without the correct cover which can lead them to face consequences.

Op Tutelage, which is an automated roads policing scheme rolled out by NRPOII in 2020, sends letters to vehicle owners as soon as they appear to be uninsured, so they have the chance to correct their insurance status before heading out on the road.

So far this year, Op Tutelage has encouraged 130,000 previously uninsured drivers to correct their insurance status. The initiative also means that roads police can focus more of their physical resources on those who intentionally drive uninsured and pose the greatest risk.

Derek Roberts, National Tutelage Programme Lead at NRPOII, said:

“Operation Tutelage has shown significant results towards improving road safety across the UK over the last two years, and continues to support ongoing efforts to tackle uninsured driving and vehicle non-compliance.

“Some people who drive without insurance do so by mistake, and when contacted immediately take the right steps to ensure they drive insured. This allows the police to focus their resources on tackling the minority of drivers, who are intentionally uninsured and are a significant danger on our roads.”

 

How can I check my vehicle is showing up as insured?

If anyone wants to see if their vehicle is appearing as insured on the MID to avoid being contacted by the police, they can check for free at www.askMID.com

 

*Based on MIB claims records of estimated uninsured against population of local postal district. Analysis carried out in early 2021.