Almost 70 vehicles were seized during a week-long campaign targeting uninsured drivers in Kent.
Officers from Kent Police’s Roads Policing Unit took part in the national campaign, Op Drive Insured, between Monday 15 November and Sunday 21 November 2021 where they focussed on uninsured drivers and carried out road checks.
In the UK each year 130 people are killed and 26,000 suffer injury after being involved in a collision with an uninsured or untraced driver. This equates to one casualty every 20 minutes. Additionally one in every five collisions on the country’s roads involve an untraced or uninsured driver.
Police stopped 69 vehicles for having no insurance during the week of action. Those drivers also received a Traffic Offence Report (TOR) which means points on their licence and a fine. They will also have to pay a fee to have their cars released.
A further 297 motorists were caught speeding by either officers or safety camera vans, and an additional nine drivers were given a TOR for not wearing a seatbelt.
Seven people were also arrested for offences including drink and drug driving.
Roads Policing Chief Inspector Craig West said: ‘If you are driving uninsured then be prepared to have your vehicle seized, risk it being crushed and face significant fines and points on your licence.
‘Those who commit these crimes are putting law abiding motorists at unnecessary risk and we are committed to repeatedly targeting uninsured drivers to make the roads safer.
‘In addition to the financial implications, those who drive uninsured are often linked to other criminality and it is therefore important we take a robust approach.’