A million uninsured drivers on Britain’s roads could have their vehicles impounded under new regulations, which ministers hope will mean lower premiums for law-abiding motorists .
Every car in the country will be checked on a central database, with uninsured owners facing a fine and ultimately having their vehicle seized and crushed. The UK has the highest levels of people who drive without car insurance in western Europe. The Government believes the clampdown will help to reduce the £30 a year added to premiums to cover the £500m-a-year costs of accidents that involve uninsured drivers.
Mike Penning, the road safety minister, is expected to approve new regulations in the next few weeks. He said: “We are working closely with the insurance companies to make it mandatory for vehicles to be insured . There are millions of vehicles on our roads that are not insured. People say, ‘Well, it’s sitting outside on the road outside my house . I’m not using it. It’s taxed but doesn’t need to be insured.’ It has to be insured, because if someone decides to use it even for an emergency they will not be covered.”