North Wales Police target uninsured drivers using the region’s roads

North Wales Police is supporting the national Operation Drive Insured campaign aimed at reducing the numbers of uninsured drivers using the region’s roads.

During a week of enforcement action, officers across the country have been conducting an enhanced policing operation aimed at detecting and seizing uninsured vehicles.

The operation is coordinated by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) and partners, to help highlight the issue of uninsured driving.

Since January 1st North Wales Police have seized 979 vehicles due to no insurance.

MIB say that “Whilst statistics tell us that uninsured drivers cause more collisions, there is another consequence – higher premiums for other drivers.”

MIB paid out £322 million in compensation in 2019 to victims of uninsured and untraced drivers, from funding provided by insurers and ultimately their consumers.

The cost of compensating the victims of uninsured drivers is added on to drivers car insurance premiums, making them more expensive than they should be.

Figures from the Department for Transport show that collisions cost the wider economy a further £2 billion a year in the cost of providing emergency services, medical care, loss of productivity and property damage.

Inspector Gareth Jones of the Roads Policing Unit said: “Looking at these facts, it is hard to understand why someone would choose to drive without insurance but it may not be a surprise that uninsured drivers are often linked to wider road crime.

“Whilst there are criminals who knowingly drive a car without insurance or who withhold information or lie to get a cheaper quote, some insurance offences are committed unwittingly.

He added: “To drive a car both you and the vehicle must have the correct insurance. This means that even if you are insured to drive any car, the vehicle needs to be covered in its own right.

“This campaign is important to protect the majority of law abiding drivers using our roads in north Wales. Driving without insurance is not a victimless crime. Uninsured drivers are significantly more likely to cause a death or injury on the road and are also often involved in wider road crime.

“North Wales Police is urging all drivers to respect other road users and drive insured. Protecting the public and keeping our roads safe for everyone is our priority and removing uninsured drivers from our roads helps to do that.”

Over 450 insurance policies have also been cancelled or voided thanks to a North Wales Police initiative to disrupt criminal activity.

A North Wales Police spokesperson said: “It’s a criminal offence to fail to disclose material information such as unspent convictions when asked by insurance companies.

However, Op Confine isn’t about checking whether an individual has forgotten to mention a minor road traffic offence a number of years ago, it’s very much aimed that those who cause the most harm to our communities and use the road network to facilitate their criminal activities.”

The force has secured 16 convictions to date – a 27-year-old male from Penygroes is due to appear at Caernarfon Magistrates Court on November 17^th having been summonsed for four counts of making a false statement to obtain insurance.

Further details regarding Op Confine is available here.

Further information regarding the national Operation Drive Insured campaign is available via the MIB website.

If you know someone who is driving uninsured, please report them to the police on 101 the non-emergency number or report anonymously via independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.