Crackdown on uninsured drivers

A planned crackdown on uninsured cars planned for 2011 could spell good news for honest drivers as this has the potential to lead to reduced car insurance rates.

Up to 1 million people could potentially be hit with fines of up to £1,000 during the campaign which will aim to take uninsured cars and their drivers off the UK roads.

If a proposed change in legislation on uninsured vehicles goes ahead, it would be an offence to simply own an uninsured car, whereas currently the owner needs to be caught driving the uninsured car for legal action to taken against them.

The proposed new legislation, known as Continuous Insurance Enforcement, is expected to get the green light within the next few weeks. If this does go ahead, all car owners who are not registered on the Insurance Database or DVLA system will be issued letters warning them that if they don’t get adequate motor insurance in place, the car can be clamped or they will be hit with a hefty fine.

If the scheme is successful, motorists could see the cost of car insurance premiums fall. Car insurance policyholders currently pick up the tab for uninsured drivers as insurance companies pass on the losses they make as a result of accidents caused by drivers without cover to their customers in the form of raised premiums.