A joint road policing operation involving three forces from across the South West has seized more than 10 uninsured vehicles through number plate recognition.
Officers from Devon and Cornwall, Avon and Somerset, and Hampshire Police forces took part in the operation on Friday, to coincide with the busiest day of travel into region.
Thirteen uninsured vehicles were seized and people were also stopped for other crimes including speeding, mobile phone offences and fuel theft.
Sgt James Gallienne, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said the operation was important as “at least one person every day” is seriously injured by an uninsured or hit and run driver.”
He added: “Operations like this aim to educate about and enforce the law in order to reduce the number of uninsured drivers on the road and reduce collisions.
“Devon and Cornwall remain safe places to live and visit and we will continue to be proactive in keeping our road network safe.”
The three police forces worked alongside the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) using Automatic Number Plate Recognition to monitor interchanges on the A30, A38 and A380 to identify uninsured vehicles.
“Every 20 minutes, someone is falling victim to an uninsured or hit-and-run driver, with one person so seriously injured that they require life-long care,” the MIB said.
“Removing uninsured vehicles from the road helps protect all road users from potential harm.
“Additionally, uninsured drivers are frequently linked to other criminal activities, including drug or drink driving, excessive speeding, and organised crime such as drug running.”
Roads policing inspector Matt Boiles, from Avon and Somerset Police, added: “We typically see a significant rise in traffic volumes at the start of the summer holidays as people travel to and through our region.
“By targeting uninsured vehicles, we’re aiming to reduce risk to all road users during one of the busiest times of year.”
The MIB said many of the drivers of the seized vehicles were knowingly uninsured but urged all drivers to check their insurance status