A RECORD number of uninsured vehicles have been removed from Warwickshire’s roads.
Warwickshire Police seized a total of 1,425 uninsured vehicles across the county between January and December 2023 – an average of four vehicles every day – and a 9.4 per cent increase in seizures over the previous year.
Uninsured vehicles pose a significant risk to other road users because if a motorist is involved in a collision with someone who is not appropriately insured, it could leave them significantly out of pocket should they require medical care, property repairs, or other support.
Officers can use Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras, built into police cars, to detect vehicles that do not have insurance. They also have access to data on uninsured vehicles predicted to be in specific locations within short timeframe windows, based on previous activity, allowing them to target known individuals. If a stopped driver is then unable to provide any proof of insurance, the vehicle is seized.
Other consequences could include six penalty points on the driver’s licence, a fixed penalty of £300 or an unlimited fine should the case go to court, a fee to have a vehicle released and potentially being disqualified from driving.
Inspector Simon Paull of Warwickshire Police said: “Removing uninsured vehicles from the roads is a priority for police and Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership to protect the vast majority of law abiding drivers using our roads. While these numbers clearly demonstrate the size of the issue, the 9.4 per cent increase in vehicles seized shows the commitment from our patrol officers to making our roads safer.
“We will continue to target uninsured drivers as part of our regular patrols of Warwickshire’s road network because uninsured drivers are significantly more likely to cause a collision on the road and are also often involved in wider road crime.“
Uninsured drivers can be reported to the police by calling 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
