12-05-04

Barrett calls for car insurance discs

John Barrett, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today called on the Department of Transport to bring in a new law, requiring motorists to display a car insurance disc on their vehicle, similar to the road tax disc.

It is believed that 1 in 20 vehicles on UK roads are not insured, one of the highest levels in Western Europe.  It costs the insurance industry an estimated £400 million a year and approximately £30 a year for the average insured driver.

Mr Barrett has backed a House of Commons motion calling for new legislation, requiring all car drivers to display an insurance disc on their vehicle to try and tackle insurance violations.

In a statement, Mr Barrett, said:

"The vast majority of drivers in Edinburgh and the UK have car insurance to cover against accidents.  However, the minority of motorists who don't are causing increased insurance costs for the responsible majority.

"Requiring motorists to display a car insurance disc on their car, in a similar way to their road tax disc, could go a long way in reducing the numbers breaking the law.  The discs could be monitored in the same way as road tax with action taken against those found to acting illegally.  That way, the increased cost of insurance caused by uninsured drivers can be reversed."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• John Barrett is one of over 129 MPs who have signed Early Day Motion 1802:

That this House notes that one in 20 of the motorists currently on Britain's roads are driving uninsured, and that according to the RAC law-abiding drivers will soon have to pay an extra £60 on their insurance policies to cover the cost of uninsured drivers, with the death, damage and injury that uninsured drivers cause costing £1 billion; regrets that the public and authorities have no easy means of identifying uninsured drivers; therefore supports proposals to make it compulsory for drivers to display a simple disc on their windscreens as proof of valid insurance; notes that RAC research shows that 87 per cent. of drivers would support a disc if it leads to lower insurance premiums, and that there was strong support for the Motor Vehicle Insurance Disc Bill, which received its First Reading on 28th January; believes that this should be accompanied by stronger punishments for insurance evasion, including larger fines, driving bans, community service, and custodial sentences for repeat offenders, because current penalties, which are often only around £150, do not work as a deterrent, welcomes the Government-initiated review of these issues being conducted by Professor David Greenaway of Nottingham University; hopes that Professor Greenaway will recommend schemes similar to those operating abroad, where insurance disc schemes work well and there is less insurance evasion; and calls on the Government to support such proposals.