Kenny calls for uninsured vehicles to be confiscated

UNINSURED drivers involved in accidents should have their vehicles confiscated and sold to pay towards compensation for crash victims.

Speaking yesterday Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said such a strong-arm tactic was the only way to end the carnage caused by motorists without cover who leave 20 people dead and 2,000 injured on Irish roads each year.

Mr Kenny said 100,000 drivers get behind the wheel here each year without insurance — three times the European average.

“This is scandalous. Not only does this visit tragedy and trauma on the families and next-of-kin of those killed or injured, it also gives rise to a cost of €60 million, that we know of, in claims by drivers who are insured and law abiding.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern would not be drawn on the specific idea but pointed to Government measures he said were aimed at bringing down Ireland’s road death toll.

“The Garda Traffic Corps is clamping down extremely hard on all abuses. It confiscates the cars of non-insured drivers. I do not think they are sold off before their owners have a chance to put a case in their defence, but they are confiscated,” said the Taoiseach.

Mr Kenny also called for action on foreign drivers who renew their insurance in their home countries.

“Some 1,700 crashes on Irish roads last year involved cars registered in Poland and Lithuania,” Mr Kenny said.

Mr Ahern said he hoped the Government’s decision to introduce mandatory alcohol testing at the scene of road accidents would help.

AA’s Conor Faughan said drafting of the required legislation could be complex as there was no definition of ‘serious accident’.