Motorists who leave their car uninsured will face a £1000 fine even if the vehicle is in a garage or parked on a drive without being taken on the road, according to reports.
In addition, taxed but uninsured vehicles left on the road will be either clamped or seized under new proposals set to be unveiled by the government. At present, a car can be uninsured so long as it isn't driven.
To avoid a fine the owner of the vehicle will have to send a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
If the plan is implemented, when an insurance policy lapses the DVLA will initially send out a reminder letter.
If no action is taken after a month the DVLA will issue a £100 fixed penalty notice which will be reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days.
If ignored stronger steps could be taken, including court action a fine up to £1000.
The government hopes its proposals will help tackle an estimated two million uninsured motorists who are responsible for 160 deaths and injure 23,000 people a year. It is estimated that uninsured drivers add around £30 a year to every motorist’s insurance policy - amounting to over £400 million a year in additional payments.
