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How do they catch uninsured drivers?

Hi,

This a question that has been in my head for some time.
How do they catch uninsured drivers?

Just last week, a friend of mine was driving his car and the car behind beeped at him because he stalled his engine at a junction. However, when he parked outside a driveway, I saw a car with sirens go past. He was insured.

Can you only get fined for driving uninsured if you are caught driving by a police officer/police car? Do they check the cars in each driveway for example? How do people get punished for driving uninsured?

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Police cars have automatic number plate recognition things on their cars so it scans immediately for if you don't have a license, insurance, mot etc.
Reply 2
Anpr cameras in police cars (and now on some motorways) check the reg of your car with the motor insurance database, if it comes back as uninsured they will pull you over. Also police sometimes pull over cars which say a male is insured if a female is driving and what not.

So yer, the cameras in some (well a lot) of cars auto pull up everything and notify them if anything wrong.

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Reply 3
Original post by Willum Infanta
Police cars have automatic number plate recognition things on their cars so it scans immediately for if you don't have a license, insurance, mot etc.


Some people drive uninsured. What happens if I, for example, report them?
Reply 4
Original post by po10tial
Some people drive uninsured. What happens if I, for example, report them?


Then the police will say thanks and deal with the crims.
Original post by po10tial
Hi,

This a question that has been in my head for some time.
How do they catch uninsured drivers?

Just last week, a friend of mine was driving his car and the car behind beeped at him because he stalled his engine at a junction. However, when he parked outside a driveway, I saw a car with sirens go past. He was insured.

Can you only get fined for driving uninsured if you are caught driving by a police officer/police car? Do they check the cars in each driveway for example? How do people get punished for driving uninsured?


Many police cars are fitted with the ANPR system, which is a setup which automatically reads any license plates which it sees, and runs them against several national databases which will flag up straight away if a car has no insurance, or no tax or MOT.

If you get stopped by the police because their system has picked up your car as uninsured then you will receive a fine and points on your license.

As for your final point, yes you can be fined for having an uninsured vehicle, even if you are not driving it. In the past you could own a car and leave it uninsured as long as you didn't drive it, however now if you don't possess insurance on your vehicle you have to have a SORN on it or you will receive a fixed penalty notice.
Original post by kumori
Anpr cameras in police cars (and now on some motorways) check the reg of your car with the motor insurance database, if it comes back as uninsured they will pull you over. Also police sometimes pull over cars which say a male is insured if a female is driving and what not.

So yer, the cameras in some (well a lot) of cars auto pull up everything and notify them if anything wrong.

Posted from TSR Mobile


From my experience they'll also pull you over if you don't fit the profile of the kind of person who would own the kind of vehicle you're in.

I'm 23, but look really young for my age, and I've been pulled over 4 times in the last year while driving my dads car, which I am fully insured on, because it's a 53 plate Mercedes S Class, and obviously the police officers that have stopped me think it's suspicious that anybody young would be driving an expensive car.
Reply 7
Original post by Mad Vlad
Then the police will say thanks and deal with the crims.


Interesting. I never knew that.

I don't really know anyone uninsured. I thought I would have needed evidence, or would I not
Reply 8
Original post by officelinebacker
From my experience they'll also pull you over if you don't fit the profile of the kind of person who would own the kind of vehicle you're in.

I'm 23, but look really young for my age, and I've been pulled over 4 times in the last year while driving my dads car, which I am fully insured on, because it's a 53 plate Mercedes S Class, and obviously the police officers that have stopped me think it's suspicious that anybody young would be driving an expensive car.


Interesting. I probably should not drive an expensive car LOL. I'm broke.

Lets say for example, a friend of mine borrowed my car and drove up the road and parked his car at his aunts house. Will he get into trouble, even if the police don't stop him? Can other motorists report it to the police? I'm not saying that I would do such a stupid thing
Reply 9
Original post by po10tial
Interesting. I never knew that.

I don't really know anyone uninsured. I thought I would have needed evidence, or would I not


Well, they'd need to see the uninsured motorist driving the vehicle, but they'll probably act on the tip-off.
Original post by po10tial
Interesting. I probably should not drive an expensive car LOL. I'm broke.

Lets say for example, a friend of mine borrowed my car and drove up the road and parked his car at his aunts house. Will he get into trouble, even if the police don't stop him? Can other motorists report it to the police? I'm not saying that I would do such a stupid thing


If caught then yes, no matter the distance travelled.
Reply 11
Original post by TheGrinningSkull
If caught then yes, no matter the distance travelled.


What happens if someone reports it?

Does insurance decrease year after year?
Reply 12
Original post by Mad Vlad
Well, they'd need to see the uninsured motorist driving the vehicle, but they'll probably act on the tip-off.


Would they check driveways?

Also, does insurance decrease year after year?

How much does insurance increase, if I crash
Original post by po10tial
Would they check driveways?

Also, does insurance decrease year after year?

How much does insurance increase, if I crash


If you're thinking of driving uninsured, don't.
Reply 14
Original post by Cake Faced Kid.
If you're thinking of driving uninsured, don't.


I'm not even thinking of doing that.

Besides, I don't have much time these days.
Reply 15
Original post by po10tial
Interesting. I probably should not drive an expensive car LOL. I'm broke.

Lets say for example, a friend of mine borrowed my car and drove up the road and parked his car at his aunts house. Will he get into trouble, even if the police don't stop him? Can other motorists report it to the police? I'm not saying that I would do such a stupid thing


If the car is insured the Police have to catch you doing it to issue the no insurance ticket, I wouldn't recommend it since I know someone who got caught just after they set off outside their house driving to the shop at the top of the road. Also if they do catch him the registered owner will get the points as well for letting him drive the car uninsured (unless you say you didn't give permission then he will also get done for stealing the car) so to answer your question no they can't do anything if someone reports it, well they could send a letter and maybe put a mark against the car to pull it over more to check, but not sure if they even do that.

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Reply 16
Original post by kumori
If the car is insured the Police have to catch you doing it to issue the no insurance ticket, I wouldn't recommend it since I know someone who got caught just after they set off outside their house driving to the shop at the top of the road. Also if they do catch him the registered owner will get the points as well for letting him drive the car uninsured (unless you say you didn't give permission then he will also get done for stealing the car) so to answer your question no they can't do anything if someone reports it, well they could send a letter and maybe put a mark against the car to pull it over more to check, but not sure if they even do that.

Posted from TSR Mobile


So if they get pulled over by a police car, then they can get disqualified?

I'm not saying I am going to do that.

In regards to insurance, does it decrease year after year? Because my parents decrease slightly
Everything you're asking is what someone would ask if they're thinking of not bothering with insurance lol. Raises suspicions.
i drove without an mot for months. must've driven past at least 10 police cars.

never got done :cool:
Reply 19
Original post by UnknownRoyalist
Everything you're asking is what someone would ask if they're thinking of not bothering with insurance lol. Raises suspicions.


LOL. I am bothered with insurance.

I have seen cars being pulled over near my workplace. It was just a thought as to how these police cars know you are uninsured, and also why people do it?

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