West Yorkshire is England's worst region for uninsured drivers

Nearly 6,000 motorists in West Yorkshire were caught driving without car insurance last year, making the region England’s worst for uninsured drivers.

Data from the Ministry of Justice shows that in 2019, just under 90,000 drivers in England and Wales were caught without insurance, with 5,991 of those in West Yorkshire. Per capita, that makes the region the worst for offending, with 2.58 cases for every 1,000 people - 77 per cent about the average for England and Wales. 

Bedfordshire was close behind, with 2.34 offences for every 1,000 people, ahead of Lincolnshire, with 2.26 per 1,000. 

At the opposite end of the scale, Sussex saw a rate of 0.71 per 1,000 despite a 34 per cent increase in offences. 

Kent saw the worst increase in offending, jumping from 28th on the list of shame in 2018 to eight in 2019, with a 33 per cent rise in cases. 

Driving a car without insurance against third-party risk is a criminal offence and carries a fixed penalty of £300 and six points on your licence. If the case goes to court, offenders can be hit with a driving ban and unlimited fine. It also leaves innocent drivers at risk of having to claim on their own policies if they are involved in a collision with an uninsured driver.

Across England and Wales, the number of infringements dropped but in 2019 it still remained the fourth most common offence behind speeding, licensing offences and failing to present identification. 

Gerry Bucke, general manager of Adrian Flux, which compiled the data, said:  “As a very serious offence, it is shocking that driving without insurance was revealed to be the fourth most common motoring offence in 2019. 

“In fact, it’s against the law to drive a vehicle on public roads without insurance and if you are caught doing so, you could receive a hefty fine or worse. Being properly covered ensures the safety and protection of all road users. This is why it is vital that drivers ensure they are appropriately insured.”

The report found that drivers under 40 were most likely to be caught without insurance, with three quarters (74.2 per cent) of all offenders aged 39 or under and 30-39-year-olds the most likely to offend. It also found that male drivers were responsible for more than 8 in 10 uninsured motoring offences in 2019.