Provisional Licence Holders Without Insurance Surge 16% During Pandemic
The number of provisional driving licence holders caught driving without insurance soared by 16% in 2020, hitting 14,618, according to fresh data from RAC Insurance. This spike came despite, or possibly because of, the coronavirus lockdowns shaking up daily life.
Shock Figures: Underage and Uninsured on the Roads
A Freedom of Information request to the DVLA revealed startling trends. Provisional licence holders made up 14% of the 105,641 uninsured drivers recorded in 2020 — a 2% rise compared to 2018 and 2019.
- 15,933 uninsured drivers didn’t even have a licence.
- Twenty-three were just 13 years old, with even younger offenders caught in previous years (six aged 12 in 2018, nine in 2019).
- 121 were aged 14, and 215 were 15 years old—all driving unlicensed and uninsured.
- The oldest uninsured non-licence holder was 70.
Full Licence Holders Still Make Up Majority of Uninsured
Most uninsured drivers, 39,894 (38%), held full licences, though this number dropped by 11% since 2018. Meanwhile, 33,015 (31%) drove on expired licences — a 4% rise from two years earlier. Non-GB licence holders caught without insurance increased 9%, but they remain just 2% of the total uninsured.
RAC Warns: Pandemic Pressures Driving Risky Behaviour
“The rise in uninsured provisional drivers in 2020 is likely tied to Covid-19’s impact on driving lessons and finances,” said RAC Insurance spokesman Simon Williams. “Fewer available driving tests during lockdowns forced many to delay getting fully licensed.”
“High insurance costs hit young drivers hardest, with a 12% Insurance Premium Tax hiking policies by hundreds of pounds. This pushes some towards the dangerous gamble of driving illegally without insurance.”
Williams added, “Driving without insurance puts everyone at risk—drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. While the Motor Insurers’ Bureau protects victims financially, every uninsured driver pushes insurance costs higher for law-abiding motorists.”
Harsh Penalties for Driving Without Insurance
- Fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points on licence.
- Possible unlimited fines and driving bans if prosecuted in court.
- Police can seize and destroy uninsured vehicles.
Experts warn: the pandemic may have amplified risky driving behaviour, but the crackdown will be relentless. Drive insured, or face the consequences.
