Two months after their own transport minister was caught behind the wheel without the proper insurance, law enforcers in Scotland launched a crackdown on uninsured driving, which led to the detention of more than 200 cars.
Police Scotland partnered with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) to target erring drivers from January 31 to February 5. A total of 349 motorists were detected driving uninsured during the period.
The recent crackdown was delivered through a combination of mobile and static road checks, according to Police Scotland.
“These figures demonstrate that there are still some drivers who continue to drive their vehicle without proper insurance cover,” said Fraser Candlish, Police Scotland’s deputy head of road policing.
“Although the campaign has now ended, we will continue to stop those drivers using uninsured vehicles and remove their vehicles from the roads.”
Scotland’s transport minister, Humza Yousaf, said the crackdown highlighted the importance of having the correct insurance in place at all times.
“The Scottish Government is committed, through Scotland’s road safety framework to 2020, to achieving safer road travel in Scotland through a partnership approach,” he said.
Yousaf made the headlines in December after he was caught behind the wheel of a friend’s car near Dingwall when he was not insured to drive other vehicles.
The minister said a mix-up in paperwork following the breakdown of his marriage meant he did not have the necessary cover to drive other cars.
“I hope my example reminds others to check their policies to make sure they are properly insured at all times of the year,” he said.
Yousaf added that he is “committed” to meet the casualty reduction targets set out in Scotland’s road safety framework.
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