Fewer people were caught driving without insurance in 2018 than any other year since 2012, reveals new data seen by RAC Insurance.
A freedom of information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency found that 79,713 people were caught breaking the law in this way last year.
This is in stark contrast to 2017 when 118,698 people were caught – the highest in the seven years analysed – representing a 33% reduction. In comparison to 2012 however, when the figure stood at 108,616, the decrease is smaller at 27%.
At the other end of the age spectrum a 96-year-old was also found to be driving without insurance in 2018 – the oldest person caught for the offence since 2012.
Twenty-four was the age responsible for generating the highest number of uninsured drivers in 2018 with 3,309 people being penalised. But the largest number of these offences by people of one age seen across any year since 2012 was recorded in 2017 when there were 5,052 23-year-olds found to be driving without insurance.
In 2011 the Department for Transport, in conjunction with the DVLA and the Motor Insurers Bureau, introduced Continuous Insurance Enforcement. This involves the two organisations working together to send warning letters to uninsured drivers and then subsequently issuing fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for those who fail to take out insurance.