WHEN I started to drive back in the 1960s it was made plain to me that one of the worst offences on the road was to drive without insurance, and in my view it still is.
But these days it has to be asked, are the courts being too lenient on those who refuse to or can't afford to insure their cars?
A House of Commons written statement revealed that just £200 was the the average fine meted out by courts in England and Wales to people caught driving without insurance.
The statistics, were released by the Justice Minister, Crispin Blunt, following a parliamentary question and may be an answer to why so many people think they can get away without even basic third party cover.
The fact is that uninsured drivers kill 160 and injure 23,000 innocent victims every year and the majority of those guilty of driving without insurance are young men who are five times more likely to have other motoring offences to their name.
After the figures were released the AA stated that the UK is far too soft on hard-core uninsured drivers and most people would consider a fine of £200 an insult.
Although there is a fixed penalty of £200 and six penalty points for driving without insurance, the police will prosecute for serious offences.
Yet it appears the fines imposed by the courts are often less than that. Hardly a disincentive, given that typical cost of insurance for someone aged between 17 and 22 is around £2,500.
The good thing is that in most cases the defendant’s car will be confiscated and disposed of by police, the value of which can be added to the cost of the fine.
Last year, police crushed over 100,000 uninsured vehicles but most were old and of little value.
Penalties are of course means-tested which is why the maximum fine available, £5,000, is rarely, if ever, imposed.
The AA is of the opinion that uninsured drivers should pay the equivalent of the unpaid insurance premium, which can easily be calculated, in addition to a fine which should be sufficiently great to make them think twice before offending.
A step forward certainly and one that should be taken soon.
But nothing can really compensate the misery and heartache inflicted on the families of those killed and maimed by the actions of the uninsured driver.
News | New cars | Used cars | Manufacturers | Special reports | Views | Buying advice | Road tests new | Road tests
