AA figures show Northamptonshire is a UK hotspot for uninsured drivers with 200 vehicles a month seized by police

More than 200 vehicles a month have been seized by Northamptonshire Police since 2018 as new figures reveal the county is one of the UK’s hotspots for uninsured drivers.

The statistics come as a leading motoring body tells drivers “don't take the risk” by dodging car insurance before hitting the road.

Figures obtained by the AA drivers’ association show 11,667 uninsured cars and vans were seized in Northamptonshire since the start of 2018 – including at least 1,516 this year.

Officers seized 24 uninsured vehicles in ONE WEEKEND last month during a crackdown as part of their Operation Journey road safety campaign.

In 2021, 2,467 vehicles were seized by police across Northamptonshire, equating to 4.8 seizures for every 1,000 licensed vehicles in the area as of the end of 2021 — one of the highest rates in the country.

The force now uses automatic number plate recognition technology to check if cars are road-legal. Cameras on the network and attached to police vehicles can instantly tell officers if passing cars have insurance and an up-to-date MOT.

Across the UK, more than half a million motors have been impounded for not having proper insurance over this timeframe.

Gus Park managing director for AA Insurance Services said: “Every driver is worried about being involved in a collision, but worse still is the other party being uninsured.

“Sadly, we know that when times are hard some people try to cut their costs, and one area people are tempted to chance it, is cutting out their motor insurance.

“However, these figures show that forces across the country are on the lookout and will take an uninsured car away.”

The figures cover every force across the four nations, with the exceptions of Kent and Cheshire, which did not provide data to the AA.

The largest force in the UK, the Met Police, confiscated the most vehicles over this period – 62,900 – while the West Midlands and West Yorkshire police forces followed with 44,056 and 33,829 respectively.

Despite successive lockdowns, 2020 saw the most cars seized in Northamptonshire and across the country. Nearly 130,000 were taken off UK roads, including 3,156 in the county.

Mr Park said drivers should be wary of the penalties for not having insurance.

He added: “Not only is there the chance of having your car seized, but the criminal and financial hardship is not worth the gamble.”

Drivers caught without proper insurance can face a fine of £300 and six points on their licence with the potential for larger fines or even a driving ban for repeat offenders or if their case goes to court.

Northamptonshire Police will be launching a new Road Policing Team in 2023.

This specialist squad will have responsibility for policing the road network, taking ownership for road safety and road crime policing. It will also have drone, family liaison and ANPR capability as well as providing a licensed search function.

Detective Chief Inspector Shelley Nichols, who will head the new team, said: “This team will be policing the county’s road networks 24/7, and will be relentless in the task of disrupting and prosecuting those responsible for using our roads to commit offences.”