Industry News from Yes Insurance

A five week awareness and enforcement programme is planned by the London Metropolitan Police in an effort to crack down on drivers who run from an accident, many of whom are thought to be without car insurance.

The London boroughs of Hackney, Newham and Haringey have been chosen to pilot the programme because of the high rates of accidents and collisions in which drivers fail to stop.

According to government statistics, Hackney saw 25 per cent of people involved in a crash fail to stop, Haringey saw 23 per cent hit and run and Newham had a rate of 22 per cent.

Chief inspector Mark Bird, from the Metropolitan Police traffic unit said: "Uninsured drivers are a danger to the roads. Working in the traffic unit I am only too aware of the number of uninsured drivers that fail to stop at collisions.

"By using the powers that we have to take away their vehicles we are making a real difference to the lives of others," he added.

Jenny Jones, the Mayor of London's road safety ambassador commented: "This kind of policing is about denying criminals use of the roads, saving the ordinary driver from higher insurance premiums and reducing road casualties."

If the scheme is successful, there are plans in place to roll out the programme across the other London boroughs.

Uninsured drivers are ten times more likely to have been convicted of drink driving, six times more likely to have been convicted of driving a non-road worthy vehicle and three times more likely to have been caught driving without due care and attention.

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