Driving without insurance
If you are driving a vehicle on the road without the correct insurance having been put in place, this is considered an offence under UK traffic law. In this context, driving a vehicle can be defined as the act of parking a car or even leaving a car un-attended. The offence of driving in the UK without insurance is looked upon as very serious and can leave you with 6-8 points on your license as well as a fine of up to £5,000.
The provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1988 state that:
‘It is an offence to use (or permit to be used) a motor vehicle on a road or public place when there is not in force a relation to the use of the vehicle such a policy of insurance in respect of third party risks as complies with the Road Traffic Act.’
Recently the police have been given the authority to carry out random checks as well as issue on the spot fines of £200 and hand down a penalty of 6 points. These random checks alone contribute to an increase in fixed penalties of 300,000 over a year. You can also be convicted of a road traffic offence if you have allowed someone who is not in possession of valid insurance to drive your vehicle, even though you were not actually in control of the vehicle itself.
If you are found to be guilty of a road traffic offence, such as driving without valid insurance, it will have a major impact on any insurance you take out in the future. Generally the offence is starting to become much more common in the UK, although this has been put down to an improvement in policing then a rise in criminal activity.
In some cases of continued insurance related driving offences, the police and law enforcement officials have the power to seize or destroy the vehicle in question. Under The Road Safety Act 2006, driving without insurance carries a harsher sentence if someone is killed or injured.
In most cases it is best to seek out professional advice if you are involved in an insurance related driving offence, as a legal professional in this field will know what the best course of action is.
I found a great source of legal information while researching for this blog, you should give it a try:
http://www.lawontheweb.co.uk/Road_Traffic_Law/Driving_With_No_Insurance
