Driving Without Insurance Increases By 10% As The Young Can't Cope With The Rise In Premiums

The number of drivers who are driving without insurance has soared by 10% in just a year according to the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB).  This is even more of a surprise because this follows a decade of declining levels of uninsured driving.  So why the change?

The sudden reversal has given rise to fears that the soaring cost of insurance for young drivers may be tempting them to “chance it”, and drive with no insurance.  A third of all uninsured drivers are below 30 years of age.  Insurance for a “high risk” young driver can now typically cost between £1,000 and £2,000 per year - an expense which many of our youths simply cannot afford.  An MIB spokesman discussing why their premiums may be so high said “We know that young male drivers are twice as likely to make an insurance claim as more experienced drivers.  The amount of the claim will also be three times that of the average claim.  Furthermore 40% of those injured in uninsured driving claims are under the age of 30”.

However, the penalty for the young if found to be driving without insurance is often far worse than that for more experienced drivers.  Driving with no insurance carries a penalty of 6 to 8 penalty points being imposed on the driving licence normally.  Most drivers have to accumulate 12 or more penalty points before they have to be disqualified for 6 months or more by the court under the totting up rules.  Therefore, if the driver has a clean driving licence, or even 3 penalty points already, and they are convicted for driving with no insurance, they will normally be able to continue to drive.  However, the effect of these additional penalty points on a less experienced driver will normally be far worse.  The New Driver Act states that “new drivers” who, within the first two years of passing their driving test, accumulate 6 penalty points or more on their driving licence, will have their driving licence revoked.  This normally means that anyone who is found guilty of driving with no insurance and who passed their driving test in the previous two years will automatically have their driving licence revoked.  This would mean that they then have to pass both parts of their driving test before they can drive again, resulting in expense and time spent off the road.   Also, the police have the power to seize and destroy their vehicle.

At Speeding Law Solicitors we deal with a lot of new driver offences mainly involving “new drivers” facing such allegations of driving with no insurance.  However, we often manage to avoid their driving licences being revoked by asking the Magistrates Court for a short driving ban (maybe 7 to 14 days) instead of any penalty points being imposed.  That way round they are back on the road much more quickly than if they had to pass their driving test again.

If you are a “new driver” and you are in danger of having your driving licence revoked, or indeed if you face any motoring allegation, then contact our road traffic specialist solicitor, Philip Hatvany, on FREEPHONE  0800 9098110 for a FREE telephone consultation.