LANCASHIRE has the most uninsured driving prosecutions per 1,000 people of any part of England and Wales over the past 10 years, the latest Ministry of Justice figures show.

The county saw 43,301 prosecutions for driving without insurance, which could have cost offenders nearly £13 million in fines and added up to 259,806 points, according to temporary insurance provider Tempcover which carried out the research.

The figures which cover between 2008 and 2018 – with MoJ figures for prosecutions in 2019 not due to be released until later this year – show there were 36 prosecutions per 1,000 people for driving without insurance in the county. That figure was 21 per 1,000 people nationally.

Tempcover’s CEO Alan Inskip said: “While most of us would never dream of deliberately breaking the law while we’re driving, it seems there are still plenty of drivers travelling Lancashire’s roads uninsured.”

Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen highways boss, said the figures were concerning and stated that uninsured drivers were putting both people and property at risk.

He said: “While it’s good to see uninsured drivers are being prosecuted, the sheer amount of uninsured drivers on Lancashire’s roads is concerning. Driving without insurance is not a victimless crime. Uninsured drivers are a risk both to themselves and other users of the road because if they get involved in an accident it clearly presents significant problems for victims. It’s also an issue if they damage council property, such as railings, because we would have nobody to seek recompense from.”

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “It is illegal to drive a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least third party insurance and a driving licence.

“Drivers could be given a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points if you’re caught driving a vehicle you’re not insured to drive.

“The police also have the power to seize, and in some cases, destroy the vehicle that’s being driven uninsured.

“If a driver is convicted of driving without a licence then they will almost inevitably incur between three and six penalty points and can be fined up to £1,000. The courts also have the power to disqualify such a driver from holding or obtaining a licence for a period of time.”