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Uninsured drivers rife on UK roads

25th March 2014 Print

One in seven (15 per cent) UK motorists have admitted to breaking the law by driving a car they were not insured to drive, with younger drivers continuing to be the age group most likely to offend (35 per cent), according to the latest research from MoneySuperMarket.
 
The comparison site found one in ten motorists have sat behind the wheel of their own car with no cover – up from six per cent last year. A further three per cent have confessed to borrowing someone else’s car without adequate insurance to drive it.
 
Shockingly, 11 per cent of those who fessed up to having driven without insurance admitted they did so because they were unaware of the legal requirement for car insurance. Over a quarter (27 per cent) blamed being in between insurance policies as the reason for hitting the road uninsured, while seven per cent simply couldn’t be bothered to arrange insurance cover. A further nine per cent couldn’t afford to purchase car insurance. However, a huge worry is the eight per cent who believe there is no point having insurance as they don’t think they will have a crash – up from seven per cent last year.
 
Kevin Pratt, car insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “It’s astonishing how many drivers are still prepared to hit the road without insurance. Not only is it illegal but you could face six points on your licence and a fixed penalty fine of at least £300, but this cost could escalate should it end up in a lost court case and a conviction. To make matters worse, uninsured drivers cost the insurance industry £400 million each year, which law abiding motorists end up footing some of the bill for.
 
“The rising cost of motoring makes shopping around for the best deal vital to ensure you aren’t paying over the odds for your car insurance. The best prices are often offered to new customers so it’s crucial drivers do their research and don’t automatically accept a renewal quote without first checking there isn’t a better alternative.”
 
According to MoneySupermarket research, younger motorists are the biggest risk takers with over a third of 18-34 year olds (35 per cent) admitting to driving a vehicle they weren’t insured for, compared to just four per cent of over 55s. The number of younger drivers hitting the road uninsured has increased 17 per cent since this time last year (30 per cent in 2013 increasing to 35 per cent in 2014).
 
Regional rogues
 
Some areas of the UK have more uninsured drivers than others – with motorists in London being the most risky, almost a third of those living there admit to driving uninsured (29 per cent). Drivers in the East Midlands play it most safe, with seven per cent admitting to driving with no insurance.

Top five regions most likely to drive uninsured

London 29%
North East 20%
West Midlands 19%
Scotland 16%
East of England 14%

Men were also revealed to be more likely to drive without insurance compared to women, as 18 per cent admitted to driving with no cover, compared to 12 per cent of female drivers.
 
Kevin Pratt continued: “Even though the typical cost of car cover has been coming down for all drivers over the last year, for many younger motorists it’s still at an unaffordable level. However, the penalties for being caught without insurance are severe, and could even result in your vehicle being seized. Proving you are a safe driver will help bring that cost down over time but in the short term shopping around to make sure you have the best value insurance that provides all the cover you need is the best way to pay as little as possible for insurance and ensure you’re driving within the law.”