slobadoberbob
Free Member
- Jun 1, 2009
- 6,151
- 1,960
- Funster No
- 6,953
- MH
- Winnebago 23' something
- Exp
- 25 years & counting
The Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) reckons 1.4 million vehicles are driven uninsured causing 23,000 accidents and killing 160 people a year.
Adverts
The MIB is launching a national advertising campaign today to raise awareness of the law. But honest keepers of more than one vehicle could face paying a fortune in even though they have done nothing wrong.
And the government is in on the con trick. Road safety minister Mike Penning said: "Uninsured drivers are a danger on our roads, killing 160 and injuring a further 23,000 people each year, and they cost honest motorists £500m in extra premiums.
"That is why we are introducing this tough new law that will leave uninsured drivers with nowhere to hide. Our message is clear – get insured or face a fine, court action or seeing your car seized and destroyed."
Con trick
The way the law has been framed fails to target criminals, who will continue to ignore the rules given that fines remain lower than insurance premiums. Instead it hits honest vehicle owners who keep several vehicles at home and insure only the one they need to drive.
Ashton West, MIB chief executive, said: "The change in law is a stepping up of enforcement activity, so that not only those vehicles driven without insurance will be caught. Now the registered keeper must make sure that their vehicle is insured all the time."
It is just a cash-generating trick for the insurers that fund the MIB. "Around 4% of vehicles have no motor insurance at any given time, and this needs to change so that is why this new enforcement approach is so important."
Put on the spot, the MIB cannot say how many unisured vehicles are actually being driven. Its published statement claims that 1.4 million motorists drive uninsured, but when pushed, the MIB admits that all it really knows in that 1.4 million vehicles are uninsured at any time. It has no idea how many of them are driven.
Under the new system:
The DVLA and MIB will collaborate to identify uninsured vehicles. Motorists will receive a letter telling them that their vehicle appears to be uninsured and warning them that they will be fined unless they take action. If the keeper fails to insure the vehicle they will be given a £100 fine.
If the vehicle remains uninsured - regardless of whether the fine is paid – further action will be taken. If the vehicle is on public land it could then be clamped, seized and destroyed. Alternatively court action could be taken, with the offender facing a fine of up to £1,000.
The only exception will be for vehicles with a valid Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN). They will not be required to be insured.
So be warned if you lay your motorhome up part year and do not SORN it you could get caught.
Bob:thumb: