Southend: Tackling uninsured vehicles in road safety operation

Officers have seized 33 uninsured vehicles during a targeted road safety operation aimed at keeping dangerous drivers off the roads in Southend.

The operation took place on Saturday 25 April as part of the national Op Drive Insured campaign, which focuses on tackling uninsured driving and the wider risks it poses to other road users.

Uninsured drivers are not only breaking the law - they are statistically more likely to be involved in serious collisions and are often linked to other criminality, including drug and drink driving. Vehicles without insurance are frequently poorly maintained and present a real danger to people travelling lawfully on Essex’s roads.

The Southend operation is part of our Roads Policing Unit’s regular road safety enforcement activity, and sees officers working collaboratively with partners and teams from across the force.

During the operation which was coordinated by Special Chief Inspector Sam Wright, officers were also joined by the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB), who provided expert support and assisted at the roadside by helping identify uninsured vehicles in real time.

During the course of the operation, officers carried out enforcement as follows:
• Seized 33 uninsured vehicles
• Issued 64 Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) for a range of offences, including:
o Not wearing a seatbelt
o Using a mobile phone while driving
o No MOT
o No insurance
o Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
o Construction and Use offences
• Issued two PG9 notices, meaning the vehicles were prohibited from being driven due to their condition
• Attended one road collision
• Made two arrests for drug driving
• Made two arrests for drink driving

Special Chief Inspector Sam Wright, who led the operation, said:

Uninsured driving is not a minor offence - it puts lives at risk. Drivers without insurance are far more likely to be involved in collisions and are often committing other offences at the same time.
This operation was about preventing harm and keeping our roads safe for everyone who uses them lawfully. By working closely with our partners, including the Motor Insurance Bureau, we were able to identify uninsured vehicles quickly and take positive action at the roadside.
We will continue to carry out regular road safety operations like this across Essex to tackle dangerous driving and protect our communities.

Operations like this are designed not only to enforce the law, but to prevent serious harm before it happens.

Essex Police will continue to work closely with partners and national campaigns such as Op Drive Insured to disrupt unsafe driving, remove dangerous vehicles from the road and protect communities across the county.

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