A short film launched as part of a campaign targeting uninsured young drivers has received more than 760,000 views on YouTube.
The video, part of the ‘Gone in seconds’ campaign, highlights the consequences of driving uninsured and carries the message ‘don’t lose your car, your friends, your freedom’.
The film tells the story of an uninsured young male driver on a night out with friends, when he is pulled over by a police car equipped with ANPR (automatic number plate recognition). The police seize the car, much to the annoyance of the driver’s girlfriend and two other passengers who have to make their own way home.
The campaign was launched by the Motor Insurer’s Bureau (MIB)* in September in response to an increase in the number of claims from collisions involving uninsured drivers.
The MIB says a decade of declining levels of uninsured driving since 2005, when police were granted powers to seize vehicles, had seen the level of uninsured driving reduce by 50%. However, this figure is now on the rise, and between July 2014 and July 2015 the MIB is reporting a 10% increase in the number of claims involving uninsured drivers.
The campaign microsite highlights the consequences of driving without insurance and provides tips to help drivers get the best deals on insurance cover.
Ashton West, chief executive at MIB, said: “Our biggest concern is getting the message across to drivers under the age of 30.
“We know that for these drivers, their car is an important part of their social life and gives them credibility. The Gone in Seconds video tackles these issues and the role of the police in seizing uninsured cars.
“Worryingly, this year we have seen the number of claims to MIB rising week on week. Every year, thousands of people are injured and killed by uninsured drivers. They pose a real threat to other motorists and road users. To address this, we are working proactively with police forces across the UK.”
*Motor Insurer’s Bureau (MIB)
The MIB aims to reduce the level and impact of uninsured driving by working closely with partners across government and the insurance industry. The Bureau provides compensation to innocent victims involved in accidents with drivers who have no insurance, or who failed to stop.
The Motor Insurance Database (MID), introduced in 2001, is the only central insurance record of more than 37 million vehicles in the UK. The MID supports a range of users entitled to different levels of information about insured vehicles, including the police, solicitors, the DVLA and the public. All drivers can check their vehicle is recorded on the MID for free.
Yes Duncan – now that we no longer have to display a tax disc, how about an insurance disc?
Paul Biggs, Tamworth
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If insurance is so important why is it made invisible? If you are armed with an ANPR system linked to the insurance database then you will know whether the vehicle you are just about to travel in is insured otherwise you will have no idea. Same goes for other road users who would benefit from knowing that a vehicle in their vicinity might not be insured.
Duncan MacKillop. No surprise – No accident.
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I suspect ANPR only identifies a fraction of vehicle insurance transgressions – obviously ANPR doesn’t know if the driver of a vehicle is actually insured to drive it even if there is a valid policy on the car, plus databases can take up to 5 days to be updated. Maybe we should find a way of insuring everyone by default for Third Party liability – by adding a few pence to fuel tax or via insurance premium tax, for example?
Paul Biggs, Tamworth
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Insuring the person (or keeper) of a vehicle in Britain appears to have a direct influence on crime reduction policies with regards to uninsured drivers. In other European countries and in Australia, Third Party insurance is a vehicle based system whereas in Britain, the person and vehicle are insured. Furthermore, in Britain, motor insurance companies can and do oblige the motorist to buy whatever package they impose – with the proviso that 3rd party insurance is included, the motorist may be forced to buy third party fire and theft or fully comprehensive, thus increasing the cost of the policy.
According to a Department for Transport (DfT) report, if the insurance were to be vehicle based – the offence of driving without insurance would effectively be de-criminalised. Their reasoning is that driving without insurance would only be deemed to have occurred if an individual were driving without the permission of the registered keeper. This would be a civil matter between the registered keeper, his/her insurance company and the driver, as is the case in other European countries e.g. the Netherlands. Thus if insuring only the vehicle were applied in Britain, there would be one less criminal offence to count.
The dichotomy of motor insurance and governance is highlighted in the application of the EU Block Exemption and the emphasis in Britain to promote market forces and competition. Insurers (in the UK in particular) are left to decide tariffs and rates with little or no interference from government, but with the added bonus (for insurers) of compulsion.
Effectively, motor insurance consumers are vulnerable to the decisions of insurers, who finance and preside over their expenditures and their profits on the surpluses from premiums.
For some light reading on this subject: http://www.righttoride.org.uk/documents/The%20Fear%20Industry.pdf
Elaine, France
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