As part of a national campaign to crack down on uninsured drivers, proactive policing operations throughout Northern Ireland will be run this week to make sure everyone driving, and their vehicles, are properly insured.
The week of action involving Roads Policing Teams, supported by colleagues from across Districts, is part of a week-long initiative developed by the National Roads Policing Operations, Intelligence and Investigations (NRPOII) committee in partnership with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) campaign.
Operation Drive Insured, which runs from today, Monday 10 November until 16 November, aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.
Drivers across Northern Ireland can expect to see roads policing activity focusing on detecting and seizing uninsured vehicles being driven illegally. According to MIB data released today, Belfast is among 12 of the UK's top uninsured driving hotspots.
“All drivers need to make sure they are properly insured to drive on the roads, and while this week we will be working to remove uninsured vehicles from the road, it will also be about educating drivers on what can be innocent mistakes they may be making, not realising they aren’t insured properly,” says Superintendent John Wilson.
“The law regarding vehicle insurance is clear - before you drive a vehicle, it is your responsibility to ensure you have the appropriate insurance cover in place. I would encourage everyone to pay particular attention to the wording of their insurance policy, as sometime people mistakenly believe they have cover to drive other vehicles but, when stopped by police, this sometimes is not the case.
“Our preliminary figures indicate that between 1st January and 6th November this year, we seized 1, 461 vehicles for being driven with no insurance on roads across Northern Ireland.
“At one end of the spectrum, we have detected drivers who have assumed their insurance will auto renew, or that their comprehensive insurance policy covers driving other vehicles. Other drivers have been detected using their vehicle for business or reward purposes, some have ‘simply forgotten’ to renew policies, so it is critically important that all drivers check they have the appropriate insurance cover in place before they take to the road.
“Some uninsured drivers we have detected are those who have carried out other motoring offences.
“Drivers should also take the time to read any correspondence from their insurance company and never make assumptions when it comes to vehicle insurance.
“If a vehicle is stopped by the police on a road or public place without a valid policy of insurance it can be seized. The vehicle would not then be released until a valid policy of insurance is produced and a release fee paid (Including the recovery fee and storage charges). After 14 days the vehicle will be disposed of to recover the costs of recovery.
“Furthermore the offence can carry six to eight penalty points at a Magistrates Court with the option of a discretionary disqualification and an unlimited fine. If the offence is dealt with at the roadside by way of fixed penalty, this carries a fine of £200 and six penalty points.”
He added: “Our message is very clear. Check you have the correct insurance in place before you take to the roads. When we detect an uninsured driver, the vehicle will be seized on the spot and they will face the full rigour of the law."