Police launch crackdown on uninsured drivers in North Yorkshire

As part of Operation Belt, the Roads Policing Group will use modern technology alongside tried-and-tested tactics to get as many uninsured motorists off the road as possible.

Yesterday, the first day of the campaign, police seized five vehicles, arrested one driver and reported others for motoring offences in the York and Tadcaster area.

Sergeant Mark Patterson, who led yesterday’s operation, said: “By deploying our resources in a particular way, we’ve been able to identify a number of uninsured drivers in a short space of time, stop and deal with them, then confiscate the illegally-driven vehicle.

“But yesterday’s operation shows how stopping someone for being uninsured often uncovers more serious offences, such as driving under the influence or drug possession. This operation lets us deal with them in one fell swoop.

“We know from official statistics that motorists who don’t have insurance are disproportionately likely to cause a serious crash, so targeting them makes North Yorkshire’s roads safer for everyone.”

There are an estimated one million uninsured drivers in the UK, and in 2018 the Motor Insurance Bureau recorded 26,000 personal injury claims relating to collisions involving uninsured drivers – equivalent to one person in the UK being injured every 20 minutes.

The Roads Policing Group will hold more dedicated days of action in the near future to catch illegal motorists across the county.

Sgt Patterson added: “If you drive without insurance, we’re onto you. The tactics and technology we’re using are virtually impossible to evade.

“We will catch you, we will seize your vehicle and you could start 2020 with an extremely costly court appearance. It’s really not worth the risk.”