58,000 drivers caught without car insurance or MOT last year

Tens of thousands of people have been caught – but there could be millions more driving without insurance or an MOT (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Drivers across the UK risked fines of up to £27 million for driving without insurance or a valid MOT.

Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted to police forces found nearly 58,000 people were caught driving illegally in 2022.

Of those caught by police 44,328 didn’t have car insurance while 13,380 didn’t have an MOT, a total of 57,708.

However, research suggests the real number of offenders could be much higher as one in 10 drivers admit to driving without a valid MOT or insurance – the equivalent of around five million people.

The research by car subscription service Wagonex shows those who were caught driving without an MOT or insurance were at risk of fines totalling almost £27 million.

Northern Ireland was the worst region for driving without insurance, and Lancashire was worst for driving without an MOT.

Toby Kernon, Wagonex founder, says car subscription services could be the answer for people who forget to keep on top of their car admin.

He said: ‘The least fun part of owning or financing a car is the admin that comes with it.

Your car needs a valid MOT certificate to be driven legally (Picture: Magic Car Pics/REX/Shutterstock)

‘From remembering when your insurance is due to going through the rigmarole of finding an MOT centre that can fit you in when you need them to.

‘So many of us are time poor, but unfortunately these things are legal necessities and forgetting them or putting them off can put you at risk of hefty fines.

‘If you’re one of those drivers who is driving around without insurance or MOT – and it’s because you don’t have the time to sort it – car subscription could be for you.’

Driving without insurance could cost you £300 and six penalty points. Driving without a valid MOT could cost up to £1,000.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

‘So many of us are time poor, but unfortunately these things are legal necessities and forgetting them or putting them off can put you at risk of hefty fines.’