EXCLUSIVE: Police crackdown on unisured drivers in Mid-Ulster

According to latest figures obtained by this paper from the PSNI, 838 motorists have been detected for no insurances offences in the Mid-Ulster area.

However, the figures also reveal a high percentage of those caught are referred for prosecution, showing that police are cracking down on uninsured drivers on our roads.

In the Cookstown area, 91% of those detected for insurance offences are referred for prosecution, while in Magherafelt 89% of those detected in the last two years have been referred for prosecution.

The number of uninsured drivers detected on our roads would also seem to be declining, with 201 detected in Cookstown in 2012/13 while in 2013/14 this figure fell to 188.

Magherafelt showed the most significant reduction in the number of drivers detected, with the figure falling by 20% from 250 in 2013/13 to 199 in 2013/14.

The figures are further broken down by local stations, with 146 incidents of no insurance in the district taking place in Cookstown area in 2012, followed by Dungannon with 124.

Only one incident of no insurance was recorded for Moneymore in 2012, with nine offences recorded in Pomeroy, 22 in Coagh and 3 in Stewartstown.

Mid-Ulster MLA, Ian McCrea, commended police in Mid Ulster on cracking down on uninsured drivers and has both welcomed and voiced concern that in the last two years 838 uninsured drivers have been caught between Cookstown and Magherafelt.

Mr McCrea said: “I want to commend the police in Mid Ulster on a serious crack down on motorists that have been driving around without any insurance. Startling figures have revealed that in the last two years 838 drivers have been caught driving between Cookstown and Magherafelt without insurance.

“We all can imagine the feeling that if we were unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident, to then be told the other driver has no insurance would indeed be devastating and I welcome that in the last two years approximately 90% of those caught have been referred for prosecution.

“These figures are startling and I want to encourage those reckless enough to try and drive without insurance to think again, you will be caught.”