20/04/2011
A new system to tackle drivers who do not have car insurance is a step closer to becoming law.
Under the new system, called Continuous Insurance Enforcement, it will become an offence to be the registered keeper of an uninsured vehicle, even on your own driveway - in contrast to the current system, where it is only an offence to drive an uninsured vehicle.
The final regulations were laid out in Parliament on Tuesday by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning.
Government estimates put the number of British people driving without insurance at 1.4m.
The Motor Insurers' Bureau will work in tandem with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to enforce the plans by identifying uninsured vehicles and sending warning letters to the registered keepers.
Vehicles that remain uninsured - irrespective of whether any fines have been paid - could be clamped, seized and destroyed.
Under the regulations in Parliament the DVLA will be granted extra powers to take this action. Vehicles will only be released if the keeper can prove that they now have insurance. The first letters will be sent out towards the end of June.
Vehicles with a valid Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) will not need to be insured.
Mr Penning said: "Uninsured drivers injure 23,000 people each year and add £30 to every responsible motorist's premium so we need to do everything we can to keep them off the roads.
"These new powers will help us to take targeted action while freeing up police time to deal with the hard core of offenders."
