This type of driving without insurance usually involves driving a friend’s car to help them out in a situation where they are unable to move the vehicle. Such driving expeditions are often justified by the concept that it’s only a short distance and will only take a few minutes.

Since the vast majority of accidents occur within 15 miles of the vehicle owner’s home, that argument has little validity. Also, the law doesn’t make exceptions based on the idea that you’re doing a friend a favor and that’s not far off.

Driving a car without proper insurance is a criminal offense, regardless of the situation. The most likely uninsured drivers are men; in fact, twice as many men drive without adequate insurance than women.

The fine for driving without proper insurance cover is £200, plus magistrates usually impose six point penalties on the driving licence, and it is also possible for the court to order the vehicle to be forfeited from its owner.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg, the fact is that drivers who do not have adequate insurance are much more likely to drink and drive than drivers who are. The surprise is that not only are they twice as likely to drink and drive; Statistics show that uninsured drivers are 10 times more likely to get behind the wheel when intoxicated.

Also, uninsured drivers don’t take care of their vehicles, if they don’t have insurance why would they bother with a MOT or other safety precautions? Uninsured drivers are six times more likely to be caught driving an unsafe vehicle on public roads.

Every year there are around 170 British deaths on the roads caused by these uninsured drivers of unsafe vehicles. Male drivers are twice as likely to drive without insurance as women, but young male drivers ages 17 to 24 are even more likely to drive on country roads without any insurance.

Uninsured drivers cost insured drivers huge amounts of money every year, insurance companies have to pay uninsured drivers’ claims to the tune of £850 million every year. Of course, insurance companies pass these costs on to drivers who have been sensitive and taken off the legally required insurance policy.

Police may soon be given new powers that allow them to immediately impound any vehicle driven by a driver who does not have the correct insurance. This would avoid the current situation where uninsured drivers get back behind the wheel of the car after being charged by the police and even after being prosecuted by the courts.

Uninsured drivers cost each insured driver £30 per year in additional insurance premiums. A survey by the RAC found that 13% of all young drivers believed that driving without insurance was not “really” a crime.