Dave225 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 With all the news about how many uninsured drivers there are on our roads, and how much it is costing us in increased premiums I did wonder if there was not just a simple answer. With all our technology and ‘chips’ with everything surely it is not beyond the realms of technology to have a chip imbedded in the rear number plate and every time you renew your insurance it is activated. Then non insured cars would be a doddle to spot with a fairly simple tracker mounted either on overbridges or police cars. Yes, we would all have to buy a new number plate but I would rather that and then see a drop in my annual insurance. I accept that occasionally innocents could be ‘caught’ by a faulty machine but then a simple production of the paperwork and a recoding should suffice. Am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Why not some sort of Smart card a la 'Sky' no tax/ insurance/MOT no engine start seems feasable to me and the insurance Co's could fund it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
602 Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Hi, When I passed my driving test in 1958, I KNEW that if I was caught driving without insurance i would get a 12 month ban. If I was caught driving while disqualified, I wouls pend 6 months pleasuring her Majesty. No ifs, no buts, that is what would happen. Now its 6 points, I believe. Prople drive without insurance for two main reasons. They can't afford it, or they are disqualified. Surely it is better for these people to pay something, rather than nothing? What they don't pay, we have to. But it will need a cleverer man than me find a way of subsidising those who can't pay, without also subsidising those who can pay but don't want to. Interest free loans may cost less than paying for uninsured drivers ..... perhaps on the same basis as student loans, pay back via future income tax? Does that mean that students CAN afford car insurance? :-D Some honest people get disqualified. Some of those are compelled to keep driving (very carefully) even though disqualified. They should be allowed to obtain insurance. I suggest all disqualifications should include a further sum of money to be paid into the Insurer's Club kitty, as a bond. If the Perp has an accident, the Insurers Club indemnifies him. If he keeps his nose clean, his bond will be returned at the end of his disqualificatuion .... or retained towards his next proper insurance. The extra fine/bond to be included in his "time to pay". OK, not an ideal solution, but I think it would be better than the current system. Oh, yes, I only know one of our gang who drove uninsured. He killed himself in a Jag, going "over the top" at Purley Way at an estimated 110mph. The engine continued for a further quarter of a mile. I think he had already been "away" on a couple of occasions. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I thought that the DVLA had all the Reg No's of vehicles insured and used on the roads and also thoe's that were on sorn already on their database. To my knowledge it only takes seconds for the police to trace the owners of these vehicles. And do you really think the insurance company's will pull the premiums down ? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 I know there is a data base but I thought it mainly looked at road tax, but could be wrong. However, if that is the case then why are we having 1 in 3 cars having no insurance in some areas? Or is it the case the Plods have better things to do? As for the premuims coming down, I can only live in hope, and that market forces would force some action sooner or later. If they don't then i suspect most of us would eventually not bother with insurance. Thenwhat happens? Fisticuffs??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 The PNC (Police National Computer) has access to the insurance database and can check you insurance instantly by ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition), and your MOT, address etc etc. The PNC can access a lot more as well, tax records, bank accounts, passport details, nationality, electoral list and so on. So as soon as your number plate is entered, either automatically or manually, the insurance details are known. The Police can seize and crush an uninsured vehicle now. The new continuous insurance law is aimed at stopping uninsured cars being on the road, but all it does, as usual, is place an extra burden on the law abiding motorist. So tax your car and decide to take it off the road for a few months and you will get a fine unless you declare SORN. The criminals just carry on as usual, buy a car for cash, don't register it in their name having given false details to the seller and then just drive it! If that makes you feel paranoid have a look here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/503224.stm H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Looks like the old fashion letter is more secure Hattii Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolly1965 Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Not all insurance policies are recorded on the database - tried to tax my motorhome on line and got a message saying no insurance record held, and that I had to get my road tax at the post office instead. I've heard this happen a few times so it's not a glitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Dave225 - 2011-09-12 8:39 PM With all the news about how many uninsured drivers there are on our roads, and how much it is costing us in increased premiums I did wonder if there was not just a simple answer. With all our technology and ‘chips’ with everything surely it is not beyond the realms of technology to have a chip imbedded in the rear number plate and every time you renew your insurance it is activated. Then non insured cars would be a doddle to spot with a fairly simple tracker mounted either on overbridges or police cars. Yes, we would all have to buy a new number plate but I would rather that and then see a drop in my annual insurance. I accept that occasionally innocents could be ‘caught’ by a faulty machine but then a simple production of the paperwork and a recoding should suffice. Am I missing something? We lived in Italy for a number of years and the Insurance there (Very very expensive!) carried a disk like our tax disc to show there was insurance on the vehicle-why can't we do that here? Instead of including a free plastic tax disc holder every time we renew let the insurance companies include a 'proof disc' which has to be displayed next to the tax disc. Consequently, when checking tax discs insurance could be checked at same time -or is that too simple? As an afterthought-Think I will avoid Birmingham & Bradford in future and cut my chances of colliding with a non insured driver by 80%!!! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob b Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I can well understand why people drive while uninsured. I have just picked up three penalty points and a £60.00 fine (quite unfairly). As it happens I've just got my insurance renewal for the car. I rang the office to inform them of my criminal record and the premium immediately went up £50.00.I asked the girl how long will I be paying the 'penalty charge'? According to her it will be three years. Presumably, I also pay another £50.00 extra for the motorhome and the motorbike for three years.So for my misdemeanour, it'll cost me something in the order of £500.00. I'm not convinced it pays to be 'legit'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
602 Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Hi, I assume we all know that if our insurance expires, we MUST surrender our tax disc and declare SORN. That's even if our car is sitting in the garage. If we don't, DVLA will send us a begging letter .... automatically. There is often a time lapse of several days between insuring your car and the insurers telling DVLA. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 bob b - 2011-09-13 10:22 PMI can well understand why people drive while uninsured. I have just picked up three penalty points and a £60.00 fine (quite unfairly). As it happens I've just got my insurance renewal for the car. I rang the office to inform them of my criminal record and the premium immediately went up £50.00.I asked the girl how long will I be paying the 'penalty charge'? According to her it will be three years. Presumably, I also pay another £50.00 extra for the motorhome and the motorbike for three years.So for my misdemeanour, it'll cost me something in the order of £500.00. I'm not convinced it pays to be 'legit'.Whilst I accept it hurts costing £500 for a speeding ticket, look at it from another angle:Say when you were speeding (or at any other time) you had had an accident and killed or seriously injured somebody or caused a massive amount of damage, how would the cost of that be recovered if you weren't insured? NHS costs? Funeral costs? Vehicle repairs? even the ambulance charges (yes they charge to attend an accident and the insurance company pays for them) all would have to come from somewhere-yes you've guessed it-increased premiums for insured drivers.Definitely think it pays to be 'legit' as well as the monetory costs, could you live with yourself if you killed somebody and weren't insured?Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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