Tougher punishments wanted for uninsured drivers

Road users are unhappy with the new penalties introduced for uninsured drivers. From last Friday, drivers caught without insurance will face a £300 fixed penalty, up from £200 previously. AA's new survey has found that four-fifths of drivers want tougher punishments for motorists who avoid paying motor insurance. Every year uninsured drivers cost the insurance industry £380m a year, with policy holders paying around £33 more on their annual policy to help providers recoup these costs. The UK is currently the worst offender in Europe with one-in-25 drivers, or one million vehicles, travelling on our roads uninsured; this compares to one-in-500 in Germany and one-in-1000 in Sweden. Offenders are typically young men, aged between 17 and 22, who are typically faced with insurance premiums of around £1,000, significantly higher than the fine for being caught without a policy. 54 per cent of the AA's members said that uninsured drivers should face jail, while 63 per cent would like to see offenders electronically tagged. Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, said: "These are typically young men in cars that may have no MOT or tax. Offenders often have no driving licence or are already disqualified. "Uninsured drivers cost this country at least £380 million every year and add about £33 to the cost of every car insurance policy, quite apart from emergency services and court costs." He added that there should be a "tough, no compromise approach to uninsured drivers". Victims of collisions with uninsured drivers will often lose their excess and no-claims bonus because they cannot claim back the repair value from an insurer. Drivers can currently claim through the not-for-profit firm, MIB, although this is largely limited to claims for personal injury or property damage. AA's findings showed that 76 per cent of drivers felt that uninsured drivers should be hit with Community Payback orders, with 81 per cent saying their cars should be confiscated, and 85 per cent saying compulsory education should be forced upon the most serious offenders.