As part of the Stay Insured campaign, the annual list of the UK's top regional hotspots for drivers going without insurance has been released, with Barkerend in Bradford retaining the number one position over the last 13 years.The top five postcodes for driving without insurance - based on research from Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) over the same period include:
- BD3 (Barkerend, Bradford), West Yorkshire
- M12 (West Gorton, Manchester), Greater Manchester
- B10 (Small Heath, Birmingham), West Midlands
- B21 (Handsworth, Birmingham), West Midlands
- B8 (Saltley, Birmingham), West Midlands
A closer look at the figures reveals significant progress in the fight against uninsured driving, with an overall 20 percent reduction in the number of uninsured vehicles on UK roads over the past four years, from 1.8 million to 1.5 million.
Although regionally ranked fourth, the West Midlands accounts for half of the top ten worst offending postcodes. However, the volume of uninsured drivers in the region is still lower than in previous years and the police are committed to reducing this further, not least in Small Heath, Birmingham which currently tops the 2007-2009 list.
In addition to the postcode rankings, data about the level of uninsured driving in each police region is available. The Metropolitan area is top of the regional list, with 1 in 10 vehicles estimated to be uninsured, making it more than twice as likely for drivers in London to have an accident with an uninsured motorist. The top five worst offending police regions are:
- Metropolitan (11%)
- Merseyside (10%)
- Greater Manchester (8%)
- West Midlands (6%)
- West Yorkshire (6%)