POLICE across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight seized more than 2,500 uninsured vehicles last year.

The seized vehicles resulted in 47 people arrested for impaired driving, 22 arrested for driving whilst disqualified, and 20 arrested for other criminal offences.

Police also identified 219 other offences of no licence, no MOT or other construction and use offences.

Head of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, superintendent Colin Hudson, said: "The fantastic work our officers are doing in identifying and removing these vehicles from our roads will make them a safer place for all motorists and help keep communities safe by disrupting criminals using the roads.

"In many cases, vehicles being deliberately driven without insurance are an indicator of other offences.

"For example, our roads policing teams will routinely stop vehicles for having no insurance and further uncover the driver has no licence, or the car is stolen, or there is evidence of crime, often serious in nature.”

All police forces submit monthly vehicle seizure statistics to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) - the UK body responsible for reducing levels of uninsured driving and compensating individuals involved in a collision with an uninsured driver or a driver who fails to stop.

In 2022, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary seized 2,098 vehicles for driving without insurance.

In 2023 this figure increased to 2,505 - an increase of more than 19 per cent.

Officers can use automatic number plate recognition cameras built into police cars to detect vehicles that do not have insurance.

If a stopped driver is unable to provide any proof of insurance, the vehicle is seized.

Simon French, law enforcement liaison officer at MIB, said: “We work closely with the police throughout the year, including our colleagues across Thames Valley, to get dangerous uninsured vehicles off the road.

“Tackling uninsured driving isn’t just about getting people to pay premiums – data shows us that those who deliberately drive uninsured cause more frequent and, often, more catastrophic collisions too, so it’s about making roads safer and fairer for everyone.

"Our message is simple: drive with adequate insurance, or you will be caught.”