Serious Injury Specialists React To MIB Findings

Legal experts in the West Midlands who represent victims left seriously injured as a result of road traffic collisions have revealed their concerns after the region was pinpointed by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau as a hotspot for uninsured drivers.

The organisation, which has revealed it expects to seize its millionth uninsured vehicle in the UK today (August 21st), has said areas in the West Midlands and West Yorkshire dominate the top 20 worst postcodes for action in relation to driving without insurance.

According to the research, a third of people in those regions do not understand current laws related to car insurance, with others stating that they feel the cost of cover is too high and some believing they would be able to get away with not having it.

The MIB has estimated there are 1.2 million uninsured drivers in total across the UK.

Irwin Mitchell’s team of serious injury experts have vast experience acting for people seriously injured in crashes on the road, including victims left with life-changing injuries after being involved in collisions caused by uninsured drivers and the families of those killed in such incidents.

Philip Edwards, a Partner at the firm’s Birmingham office who specialises in helping serious injury victims, said: “It is a huge concern to see this area highlighted as a hotspot for this problem and we would urge the minority of drivers without insurance to recognise the importance of such cover.

“Road traffic collisions can leave those involved with significant physical and psychological trauma that they never fully recover from, and sadly we see a huge number of cases every year in which people are left needing a lifetime of care and rehabilitation after being seriously hurt in incidents caused by uninsured drivers.

“Fortunately, the MIB allows victims, and the families of those killed in such incidents, the chance to still gain access to justice even if those responsible for their injuries are not insured.

“However, it is likely that an increasing number of claims made in relation to uninsured drivers would only serve to push up premium costs for responsible and law abiding drivers, which is why clamping down on this issue is so hugely important.

“Last year legislation in relation to this issue was changed to allow police officers to be more proactive in their attempts to tackle this issue.

“The suggestion than more than a million people in the UK are driving without insurance is a massive concern and we hope that the action taken already can be built upon to ensure that offenders are identified long before they are potentially involved in any collisions on the roads.”