Government plans to introduce a new motoring offence have been welcomed by the ABI (Association of British Insurers) as they could reduce uninsured driving.
The Government plans to make it an offence to be the registered keeper of a vehicle kept on the road without insurance. The Road Safety Bill going through Parliament will be amended to introduce the offence. Under the new law, all taxed vehicles need to be insured. Currently it is only an offence to drive a vehicle without insurance. If a vehicle keeper declares a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) and keeps the vehicle off the road, insurance will not be required.
Impact
“This new offence is excellent news for all honest motorists”, said Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance. “We pushed for its introduction, and are very pleased that the Government now intends to make it law. It could have a dramatic impact in reducing the level of uninsured driving, so cutting down the extra £30 a year that honest motorists pay through their premiums. And with uninsured drivers among the most dangerous on the roads, this new offence should also improve road safety. This new offence would complement perfectly other new powers to tackle uninsured driving recently introduced by the Government following pressure from the ABI, in particular the new police powers to seize uninsured vehicles”.
