WIREDGOV

Rogue drivers forced off the roads

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT News Release (169) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 10 November 2008

The number of rogue drivers on Britain's roads has dropped significantly, the results of a joint police and Government operation indicated today.

Compared with a similar operation in 2006, fewer motorists were found to be driving without a valid licence, insurance or MOT.

Operation V79, carried out by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and its Scottish counterpart ACPOS in partnership with the Department for Transport, showed that:

* The level of unlicensed drivers stopped fell by half over two years - to 0.8% from 1.6% in 2006

* The level of uninsured drivers stopped fell to 1.2% from 1.9% in 2006

* The level of vehicles stopped which required but were without a current MOT fell to 1.5% from 4.2% in 2006

* The level of drivers stopped without valid vehicle tax fell to 1% from 2% in 2006

* The level of drivers committing a serious offence, such as no insurance, or driving whilst disqualified, fell to 3.4% from 7.5% in 2006 while the number committing any of the offences looked for - which included failing to notify change of vehicle ownership, illegal vehicle number plates - fell to 11.1% from 21% in 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick, Road Safety Minister, said:

"Unlicensed and uninsured drivers are a menace on our roads so I am delighted that this operation found that significantly fewer people were committing these serious offences.

"Uninsured drivers add £30 a year to every motorist's insurance premium and it is estimated that uninsured and untraced drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 every year. That is why we gave the police increased powers to detect, seize and destroy vehicles being driven without insurance. These powers are working - the police removed around 170,000 vehicles in 2007, that's more than 450 a day.

"But we know we need to do more which is why we are introducing a new offence of being the registered keeper of an uninsured vehicle which will leave uninsured drivers with nowhere to hide."

Richard Brunstrom, Chief Constable of North Wales Police, said:

"The police service, in partnership with government, is constantly striving to make our roads as safe as possible for everyone. People who drive with no licence, insurance or test certificate or who fail to register and tax their vehicles are more likely to be involved in other types of criminal activity and collisions. Such offenders risk lives, injury to other road users and themselves, and damage to livelihoods and property.

"While there has been a significant improvement in compliance since the previous operation in 2006, we should not be complacent. This type of operation is vital if we are to improve road safety, tackle criminal behaviour and assess the scale of illegal motoring nationally. On a day-to-day basis, road traffic checks take place across the country as part of a continuing monitoring and enforcement effort."

Fifty-two police forces participated in Operation V79, in which 6,689 vehicles were stopped randomly over a 24-hour period on 18 March 2008.

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Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk