Lincoln MP named Parliamentarian of the Month

Lincoln MP Karl McCartney has been named Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Month by Brake, for his campaign to introduce tougher penalties for uninsured drivers.

In October 2011, Mr McCartney asked a question in Parliament which revealed that the average fine for driving an uninsured vehicle is just £200; approximately four times less than the average annual cost of insurance. He then launched a campaign calling for fines to be much higher, in order to provide a real deterrent from breaking the law.

Mr McCartney also ran a survey seeking his constituents’ views on uninsured drivers, which revealed that 50% want the fine for uninsured driving to be £900 or more, and 77% feel that if someone causes a serious crash while driving uninsured they should go to prison. He has since written a report and a 10-point plan to achieve his goals.

Julie Townsend, Brake campaigns director, said: “Research shows people who drive uninsured are more likely to crash, so it’s vital we see action to remove these highly irresponsible and illegal drivers from our roads.

“We congratulate Karl on his campaign to tackle uninsured driving and urge Government to listen to his call for action, which make perfect sense in protecting the public from these rogue drivers.”

Karl McCartney MP said: “For far too long politicians have turned a blind eye towards the issue of dealing with uninsured drivers, even though it undermines confidence in the justice system and penalises the law-abiding. Throughout this Parliament I shall continue to press for appropriate punishments for such crimes.”

For more information contact Ellen Booth on 01484 559909.