The British Government is seriously discussing this policy which is due to take effect in 2011, The Daily Mail reported. That means uninsured drivers will initially be given a £100 fine and risk losing their car is they don't pay the money in time. But that's not all! Failure to pay in time might also bring the uninsured motorists another £1,000 ticket.
Although the system seems a little bit puzzling, let us tell you how it works. A computer system is going to monitor the cars and in case the insurance has run out, the vehicle's owner will be sent a letter asking why they have no cover. Fortunately, it won't be too late to come up with a logical explanation for the absence of insurance. Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick claimed that excuses like failure for renewal because the owner was on holiday will be accepted by the authorities and no fine will be issued.
However, if the owners don't come up with a reasonable excuse, they will be given a £100 fine. If they fail to pay the fine after a certain time their vehicle will be crushed and they could also face another fine of up to £1,000.
At the moment, only a roadside numberplate recognition camera is able to spot motorists who drive uninsured cars. But with the new system, the Motor Insurance Bureau will be able to cross-reference its records with those of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency to discover motorists without insurance.
More importantly, even if the uninsured car is kept in the garage, the owner still risks the fine. Therefore, if they intend to keep their vehicles completely off the road, owners must apply for a statutory off-road notice so that they will be exempt of any charges.
“This is about people who are driving, who are endangering other road users, who are killing and seriously injuring people on our roads,” claimed Fitzpatrick.
Yet, there is no enthusiasm regarding the policy among motorists as they claim the measure is taken in order to make car owners pay more to insurance companies.
Google News