§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum fine is that can be levied on a hit-and-run driver without insurance. [98723]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthUnder section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 a driver is required to stop after an accident and provide his name and address. If for any reason the driver does not give his name and address, he is required to report the accident. Should the driver fail to do either of the above, the maximum fine available is £5,000 (level 5 on the standard scale). This is also the maximum fine for driving without insurance under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Therefore, a driver convicted of both of these offences could be subjected to a maximum fine of £1,000.
If a driver fails to stop or report following a serious road traffic incident in respect of which there is evidence to support more serious charges, he may be prosecuted for those offences in addition to failing to stop or report.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for he Home Department how many(a) hit-and-run accidents, (b) hit-and-run accidents whose driver did not have insurance and (c) hit-and-run drivers taken to court and (i) fined, (ii) imprisoned and (iii) acquitted there were in each of the last five years; and what percentage of these fines remain unpaid. [98724]
§ Hilary BennDepartment for Transport figures are given in the following table for the number of hit-and-run accidents in England and Wales for the years 1997–;2001.
It is not possible, in the statistics collected centrally, to distinguish offences relating to a "hit-and-run" accident from offences resulting from other kinds of accidents. Motorists charged following a "hit-and-run" will e charged with an offence appropriate to the circumstances. This may often be failing to stop after an accident or failing to report an accident, but more serious charges may be preferred in some cases depending on the circumstances.
Table B shows available data on motoring offences within England and Wales, as defined in section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, for failing to stop after an accident or failing to report an accident within 24 hours. The figures shown are the numbers of offences, rather than the numbers of offenders.
Data on the number of cases where drivers were convicted for insurance offences, (under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks), as well as the offences of failing to stop after an accident or failing to report an accident within 24 hours are given in table C.
Information on fines unpaid by offence is not collected centrally.
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Table A—The number of hit-and-run accidents, England and Wales, 1997–2001 Year Total 1997 17,456 1998 17,564 1999 19,023 2000 21,591 2001 23,757
Table B—Proceedings at magistrates courts and outcome at all courts for the motoring offences of failing to stop after an accident, etc. and failing to report an accident within 24 hours—England and Wales Number of offences Year/offence Total proceedings Acquittals1 fine Immediate custody2 Failing to stop after accident. etc. (Road Traffic Act 1988 s170(4)) 1997 15,829 935 6,760 319 1998 15,387 861 6,299 387 1999 14,923 790 5,922 406 2000 14,663 754 5,658 403 2001 15,392 784 5,411 396 Failing to report accident within 24 hours (Road Traffic Act 1988s170(4)and (7) 1997 13,092 830 4,419 142 1998 12,876 773 3,944 176 1999 12,336 721 3,603 192 2000 12,029 684 3,283 189 2001 12,377 705 3,092 168 1Includes cases dismissed at the magistrates courts under the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 s9 and acquittals at the Crown Court. 2 Includes unsuspended sentence of imprisonment, young offender institution, secure training order (1998–2000) and detention and training order (2000 onwards).
Table C—The number of convictions for insurance offences1 where drivers were also convicted for failing to stop after an accident or failing to report an accident within 24 hours, England and Wales, 1997-2001 Year Total number 1997 4,207 1998 4,339 1999 4,428 2000 4,446 2001 4,742 1Section 143, Road Traffic Act 1988—using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks.