The Dangers Of Uninsured Drivers
The latest statistics show that uninsured drivers make up around 6.5% (around 2 million) of the Great British public. This selfish minority are adding around £30 a year to every motorist’s insurance premium and this amounts to more than £400 million a year in additional premiums. It is also estimated that uninsured drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 every year. Clearly the problem of uninsured drivers is one of great importance and needs to be dealt with. In 2009 the government announced tough new laws which will make it an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle- not just to drive it; this will make it easier to catch uninsured drivers and to keep them off the roads.
The penalty for driving an uninsured vehicle is a maximum of £5,000 and 6-8 points on your licence. However, this does not seem to be enough of a deterrent for some people as they continue to break the law. Under these new measures imposed in 2009 the DVLA will work with the insurance industry to track down uninsured drivers. For example, a motorist will first receive a letter in the post to inform them that their car seems to be uninsured and warns them that if they do not rectify the problem within a set period then they will be fined. If the motorist refuses then they will receive a £100 fine. If they then continue to keep and drive an uninsured vehicle then it could be seized and destroyed.
Regardless of whether the other driver is insured or not, in a road traffic accident you should always exchange details with the other party. Things like names and addresses and the other person’s car model and registration number are essential. You should also make a note of any damage caused, the road conditions and as much detail as you can about the accident. If possible take photos as well. And if you are lucky enough to have witnesses then take their details for future reference. You should also report the accident to the police and let them know that the other party is uninsured.
You will now have been able to ascertain whether the other party is insured or not. If you have the bad luck to find out that they are not insured then it is important for you to know your rights. If you have fully comprehensive insurance then your insurance company will pay for your car to be repaired but you could lose your no claims discount. But then there is the issue of your excess payment and unfortunately you will have to pay for this unless the insurance company decide to wave the payment which is unlikely.
Unfortunately, it’s an even worse story if you have third party cover. Your insurer will not pay for your repairs and as the other person if uninsured you will may not get any money back from them. You can try and take them to a small claims court, that is if you can trace them, and even then there is no guarantee that they will pay you what they owe. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel; you can make a compensation claim to the Motors Insurers’ Bureau who help to compensate the victims of uninsured drivers. This can be the only option if the other party is untraceable or uncooperative.
At Accident Consult we can give you free impartial advice as to whether you have a case to claim for compensation. You may be able to claim back the cost of the repair of your vehicle, any medical bills and any other losses that occurred as a result of the negligence of the other driver. If you think you have a case for a claim then get in contact with us today.
Tags: dvla, insurance, insurance industry, insurance premium, measures, names and addresses, nbsp, new laws, offence, photos, premiums, registration number, road conditions, road traffic accident, statistics, uninsured drivers |
