350 drivers caught without insurance
Police held a week-long crackdown across Scotland
Last updated 17th Oct 2018
A total of 206 Scottish drivers had their cars or vans seized at the side of the road due to them lacking proper insurance cover or a valid driving licence, during a week-long crackdown by Police.
They mounted a campaign at the start of the month in conjunction with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.
A total of 349 drivers were detected for driving while uninsured during the campaign.
Superintendent Fraser Candlish, Deputy Head of Road Policing for Police Scotland, said: “These figures demonstrate that there are still some drivers who continue to drive their vehicle without proper insurance cover. Although the campaign has now ended, we will continue to stop those drivers using uninsured vehicles and remove their vehicles from the roads.”
“I hope my example reminds others to check their policies to make sure they are properly insured at all times of the year" - Transport Minister Humza Yousaf
Neil Drane, Head of Enforcement Services, at MIB said: “The significant assistance offered by Police Scotland in running the week of action has been invaluable. Proving there is nowhere to hide and with over 200 uninsured vehicles being seized from uninsured drivers, the roads of Scotland are safer for now. It is clear that the partnership approach between MIB and Police Scotland will need to continue to target uninsured drivers and we look forward to forging an even more effective partnership by increasingly working together in the months ahead.”
Tracy Miller, of car insurance comparison site mustard.co.uk, said: “Unfortunately, this clam down will also be affecting the growing number of people across the UK who don’t have motor insurance because they’ve fallen foul of the ‘Ghost Broker’ scam. This is when someone poses as a legitimate insurance broker to sell unsuspecting drivers forged or invalid car insurance policies at heavily discounted prices.”
This means that innocent people are getting caught out in ways that they hadn't been before.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf, who himself was recently caught behind the wheel while not properly insured, said: “Police Scotland and the Motor Insurers Bureau’s joint campaign has successfully highlighted to drivers in Scotland the importance of having the correct insurance in place at all times.
“The Scottish Government is committed, through Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020, to achieving safer road travel in Scotland through a partnership approach
“I hope my example reminds others to check their policies to make sure they are properly insured at all times of the year, and I remain committed to my work to striving towards the challenging casualty reduction targets set out in the Framework.”