Around one in 200 motorists have been caught driving without having proper, full insurance, according to a freedom of information request by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
Overall there are 226,803 motorists in the UK who, at some point, have had points on their licence for the offence.
People in the 25 to 35 age category were the most likely to drive without cover, with some 81,003 younger drivers in this group. Conversely, over-65s were the least common law breakers in this regard – with only 0.06 per cent of the elderly professing to having points on their license as a result of a lack of car insurance.
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “These findings are shocking. Those 200,000 individuals who drive whilst uninsured place the burden back on those who abide by the law through higher premiums and potentially the cost of vehicle repair.”
One of the main reasons younger motorists neglect to get proper cover is because of the steep costs involved that are, ironically, caused by others in the age group not getting proper insurance.