Nearly 2,000 uninsured vehicles seized by Northamptonshire Police this year as crackdown launched
“Many people will see uninsured driving as a victimless crime at best, or as only impacting on the profits of large insurance companies at worst but this is not the case.” – Inspector Perry Cave
Nearly 2,000 uninsured vehicles have been seized by Northamptonshire Police this year, as officers launch a week-long crackdown across the county.
Figures supplied to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) show the force seized 1,985 uninsured vehicles between January 1 and October 31, 2026.
Now officers will increase roads policing activity from Monday, November 9, until Sunday, November 15, as part of the national Operation Drive Insured campaign.
The initiative aims to identify uninsured vehicles, disrupt offending and raise awareness of insurance mistakes which could leave motorists unknowingly uninsured.
Northamptonshire Police said officers would use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to carry out mobile and static road checks.
Inspector Perry Cave, the force's lead for Operation Drive Insured, said: “Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads remains our priority and removing uninsured drivers from our roads helps to do just that.
“Using ANPR (Automated Number Plate Recognition) technology available in Force, we will be carrying out a combination of mobile and static road checks, throughout Operation Drive Insured.”
The force seized 2,548 uninsured vehicles during 2025, supported by funding through Operation Scalis, which targets local hotspots.
Nationally, more than 134,000 uninsured vehicles were seized during the first 10 months of 2026.
MIB estimates 335,000 uninsured vehicles are on UK roads at any given time, while someone is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver every 20 minutes.
Government figures put the annual economic impact of uninsured driving at more than £1 billion.
Inspector Cave added: “Many people will see uninsured driving as a victimless crime at best, or as only impacting on the profits of large insurance companies at worst but this is not the case.”
Drivers caught without insurance face a £300 fixed penalty and six licence points, while their vehicle can be seized and potentially crushed.
Court proceedings can result in an unlimited fine and driving ban.
MIB is urging motorists to check their policies, including payment details, vehicle information, permitted usage and cover for driving other vehicles.
Other common mistakes include failing to declare modifications, purchasing fraudulent policies and incorrectly naming the main driver.
Further information is available at mib.org.uk/DriveInsured.