The top 5 uninsured driver hotspots

Emma Roberts reveals the country's top uninsured hotspots and explains what you should do if you're in an accident with an uninsured driver.

I don’t drive. Not because I don’t have a licence but because I have really bad luck with cars. I’m talking serious vehicle related misfortune.

Having passed my test, I enthusiastically took my dad’s car out for a drive (with equally as enthusiastic permission of course.) He wasn’t so pleased when I returned home and sheepishly announced ‘the car’s on fire dad.’

Yes, without realising I had been driving for a fair while with the handbrake on, which resulted in bellowing smoke coming from under the car. Oops.

When I invested in my own set of wheels, it was stolen by some gracious joyriders who had the courtesy to crash it into a lamppost, writing it off. Having only third party insurance, I had to pay for the car to get recovered and scrapped! It was a very sad day indeed when Precious was turned into a cube.

So for drivers, I always recommend getting more than third party insurance but across the country over 900,000 people under 30, don’t even bother to get car insurance at all. Beware, if you’re hit by one of these uninsured drivers, you can face a lot of hassle in getting any money.

Uninsured hotspots

So where are you at most risk from running into an uninsured driver? Well, the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) have just released the top five uninsured hotspots of the UK:

Top 5 uninsured driver hotspots in the UK

Bad news for Brummies then. Over half of the worst offending areas are in Birmingham and it doesn’t look great if you’re a resident of Barkerend either.

If you’re having financial difficulties it can be tempting to skip getting car insurance but this is highly risky, not to mention completely illegal.

Skipping insurance can result in your vehicle being seized, a £200 fixed penalty and six penalty points on your licence

If you want to find a cheaper deal for your car insurance, check out our car insurance comparison centre. In the meantime, what can you do if you have an accident with an uninsured driver?

Uninsured accidents

If you’re unlucky enough to have an accident with an uninsured driver then make sure you act quickly and take the following steps to gather evidence:

1. Take details of the other car, such as its model and registration number.

2. Attempt to get the name and address of the driver. As they’re uninsured, they will probably give you fake details, so don’t count on them being honest.

3. Take detailed notes about where the accident was, the time the incident occurred and what actually happened.

4. If they are any witnesses, make sure you act swiftly and get their full contact details.

5. If you have a camera phone take a photo of both cars and the damage. If you can, take a photo of the uninsured drivers face. Of course, put your own safety first and assess if they pose a harmful risk to you.

6. If the police are involved, make sure you get a full accident report number.

Are you covered?

If you have fully comprehensive car insurance, your insurance providers will pay for any damages.

This isn't as good as it sounds though as you could lose your no claims discount, making the cost of your insurance increase.

What’s more, there’s also the issue of the excess that you'll most likely have to pay.

When you sign up for car insurance, always look for the best deals around, including how much excess you would have to foot yourself in the event of an accident. Our car insurance comparison centre can help you choose the best policy.

If you only have third party insurance, then you don’t get anything. Not a penny, unless you use the evidence you collected at the accident to take the uninsured driver to the county court. You will have to pay legal fees but you could get these refunded if you win the case.

However, even after winning the case you still might not receive anything. If the uninsured driver has no income they simply won’t be able to cough up your cash.

But you do have another option. You can make a claim through the MIB, an organisation that compensates the victims of negligent uninsured and untraced motorists.

Visit their website for more information and to make a claim directly online.

So for all the motorists out there, make sure you’re in the know when it comes to uninsured accidents. Me? I’d rather stick to walking!

More: Five ways to slash the cost of your car insurance| 12 tips to drive down your car insurance costs|