Operation Drive Insured returns to tackle uninsured driving

As UK police forces begin a week of action, new hotspot data has uncovered the worst offending areas for uninsured driving.

The data, which has been released by the MIB (Motor Insurers’ Bureau), shows that while RM19 in Thurrock tops the leaderboard for uninsured driving defendants, West Midlands postal areas account for five of the top 15 hotspots.

The areas of Peterborough, Manchester, Belfast and Havering also make an appearance in the list – which is based on two years of MIB claim data – ranked by defendants per 1,000 population.

The data has been published to mark the start of the annual ‘Operation Drive Insured’ campaign.

The week-long road safety initiative, running 10-16 November, sees MIB collaborate with all UK police forces to remove uninsured vehicles from the road and educate well-meaning motorists on the often-innocent mistakes they may be making.

Government figures show the economic cost of uninsured driving, including compensation for victims, emergency services, medical costs and loss of productivity, is £1 billion a year. 

MIB says tackling this issue not only keeps roads safe, but reduces the financial burden on UK citizens.

An uninsured vehicle is seized every four minutes across the UK, with almost 120,000 seized so far this year. However, Operation Drive Insured unites MIB and police forces in tackling the issue through targeted enforcement and public education.

Road policing units across the UK will be carrying out additional checks on motorists in problem areas throughout the week. Forces will utilise data provided by MIB to focus their efforts. This will include:

• Navigate, the central record of all active motor insurance policies which is managed by MIB.
• Operation Tutelage markers, where cars passing ANPR cameras on previous occasions have been compared to data held on Navigate. Uninsured vehicles with a marker are then flagged to police and dealt with roadside.
• Predictive Movements, to narrow down the expected movements of known uninsured vehicles.

While drivers who purposely flout the law will continue to be tackled by police, MIB is committed to reducing uninsured driving as part of its five-year strategy, Accelerating to Zero. 

Alongside enforcement activity, MIB is highlighting common insurance mistakes and uninsured driving consequences, enabling drivers who aim to be law-abiding to make informed decisions about their motor policies.

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