Angus Eaton, CEO at MIB, says: “We’re encouraged that the government’s Road Safety Strategy announced today includes a consultation on stronger penalties for uninsured driving, failure to stop and the use of ghost plates. This is a major breakthrough for MIB’s vision to make roads safer by ending uninsured driving for good.

“We have worked closely with the government throughout this process and appreciate their commitment to tackling the issues of uninsured and hit-and-run driving. This is a significant problem. There is another victim every 20 minutes, thousands of lives are wrecked every year and the economic cost to the UK runs into billions.

“We will continue to call for the penalties to keep pace with the times and remain an effective deterrent. We know that three-quarters of the British public agree with our recommendation that the uninsured driving penalty rises to double the average premium.

“We now look forward to seeing these consultations progress and remain confident that tackling these three elements will help make our roads safer for everyone, eradicating uninsured driving for good as laid out in our Accelerating to Zero strategy.

“This is a meaningful step forward in shifting the nation’s attitude and individual driver behaviour, but increased penalties are only one piece of a much wider puzzle. Our work continues: educating motorists on common insurance mistakes, supporting law enforcement to identify and remove uninsured vehicles, collaborating with road safety partners, preparing for the challenges of connected and autonomous vehicles, and more.

“Today, though, we’re taking a moment to acknowledge the hard work that has brought us here - and we hope you’ll join us as we continue driving toward a safer future for all.”