Thursday 2nd December 2004

Insurance crackdown works, claims government

Numbers of uninsured drivers reduced, say stats

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Progress is being made in tackling car tax cheats, and the government is to announce further measures to crackdown on the menace of uninsured driving, according to the transport department.

The results of the latest Roadside Survey of Car Tax Evasion in Great Britain, show that there are now nearly 700,000 fewer untaxed vehicles on our roads than two years ago, leading to improved road safety for all road users and saving the taxpayer £77m a year.

The DVLA's Continuous Registration scheme has played a significant part in reducing car tax evasion from 4.8 per cent in 2002 to 3.4 per cent today, reckons the government. New plans unveiled in today's consultation on uninsured driving would operate along similar lines, with drivers who fail to get insurance being picked up automatically on a computer database.

Transport secretary Alistair Darling said, "This is excellent news for the law abiding motorist. The results of this survey show that we are getting to grips with the problem of car tax dodgers. There are now 700,000 fewer untaxed- and therefore more insured vehicles as drivers need insurance to tax their cars- on our roads, leading to improved road safety for all road users and saving the taxpayer £77m a year.

"We are also pressing ahead with linking the police to the Motor Insurers' Database, allowing them to target uninsured drivers as well as giving the police the power to seize and, where appropriate, crush vehicles driven by uninsured drivers.

"But we also need to deter drivers from becoming uninsured in the first place. The consultation launched today proposes a new way of making sure all drivers have insurance. The Government is committed to making life much tougher for the small hard core of anti social drivers on our roads".

[thru5h]

does that mean those 700,000 have paid tax or just signed the cars off the road instead, and still driving uninsured?

[sgt^roc]

thru5h said:

does that mean those 700,000 have paid tax or just signed the cars off the road instead, and still driving uninsured?

Exactly how are we to believe any stats after how they have twisted other facts so much

[jack.neal]

I hope that this continue insurance is better run than SORN, I was recently fined forty five pounds for not answering a letter that I did not receive, it does beg the question if you decide to spend some time over rebuilding your vehicle then all the time it is off the road you still HAVE to have it insured or if you go abroad for some time(as some people do ) you are liable to have a large fine waiting for you when you return. J.P.N.