1.15 million motorist risk driving without insurance

by Gill Montia

Story link: 1.15 million motorist risk driving without insurance

New research from Sainsbury’s Car Insurance indicates that 1.15 million people have driven a car in the last 12 months, with no insurance in place.

According to the survey, those aged between 17 and 24 are the commonest offenders, accounting for nearly two-fifths of respondents confessing to this serious offence.

The 25 to 34 year old age range also contains a significant proportion of people prepared to risk being banned from driving, with 2% of respondents admitting to driving with no insurance in the past year. Over 65s were the least likely to offend, at 1%.

On a regional basis, London had the highest score for any part of the UK (6%), followed by the South West and Wales (5%); Yorkshire & Humberside (4%); Scotland (3%); the North (2%); the South East (1%); the East Midlands and Anglia (1%) and the West Midlands (1%).

In mitigation, 19% of those admitting to driving without insurance said they couldn’t afford to buy it; a further 19% did not consider it necessary; 13% had forgotten to take out motor insurance and 13% said that they did not have time to arrange cover.

According to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, uninsured driving costs law-abiding motorists in excess of £500 million each year, or around £30 on their insurance premium.