Fewer people caught driving without car insurance

There’s been a large drop in the number of motorists caught driving without insurance, according to figures released by RAC Insurance.

A Freedom of Information Request sent to the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) revealed that 79,713 people were caught driving without insurance last year – a huge drop from the 118,698 found breaking the law in 2017.

Numbers had been falling since 2012, but there was a 22 percent increase in the number of motorists driving without insurance in 2016, followed by a smaller five percent rise the next year.

It’s illegal to drive a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least third-party insurance, and motorists are likely to receive a fine of £300 and six penalty points if they’re caught without valid cover. Police also have the power to seize and destroy a vehicle that’s being driven without insurance, while a driver could face an unlimited fine and disqualification if the case goes to court.

Worryingly, a total of 872 people under the age of 17 were caught without insurance in 2018 – hardly surprising given the fact that these ‘drivers’ aren’t even old enough to have lessons on a public road.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, a 96-year-old motorist was found to be driving without insurance in 2018 – the oldest person caught for the offence since 2012.

‘Good news’ for motorists

RAC Insurance director Mark Godfrey said: “It can only be good news the number of people driving without insurance has dropped significantly in the last year and is now at its lowest in at least seven years. This should help to keep premiums down for every driver and we hope this continues in the years ahead.

“From 2012 to 2015 there was a steady downward trend in the number of ‘driving without insurance’ offences, but there was then an increase in 2016 followed by a six-year high in 2017 which appears to be directly linked to the increase in the price of insurance at that time.”

Drivers caught without car insurance (2012-2018)