Current penalties "not deterring uninsured drivers"

The current penalties for driving uninsured are not strong enough to deter motorists considering this crime, according to one expert.

The AA has said that car confiscation and crushing is not a strong enough punishment as those who wish to flout the rules can pick up a new vehicle for less than an insurance policy.

Andrew Howard, head of road safety for the AA, said: "If you are just driving without insurance, you will almost certainly find that you get penalty points and a fine.

"The fine will be equated to your income and if you're uninsured because you cant afford it, then your income isn't going to be very high."

He added that in 2006 the average fine for driving without insurance was £182, which when considering that some insurance policies are priced at £1,000 is not a "bad" fee to pay.

Statistics from the Motor Insurance Bureau released earlier this year revealed that in 2007 seizures of uninsured cars totalled 150,000, with one vehicle being claimed for this offence every three minutes.

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