Nearly 800 children have been caught driving or riding without insurance in the past four years with one in ten of these aged 14 or below.

Since 2021, there has been a significant increase of 2100% in the number of children receiving uninsured driving endorsements, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by the UK’s leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart to the DVLA.[1]

Given it is illegal to use private e-scooters on public roads or in public spaces, it is not currently possible to get insurance for privately owned e-scooters. This means that police will seize them and the rider will be penalised for having no insurance.

In 2024, 375 teenagers aged 13 to 16 were issued an IN10 endorsement – the code used by the police for ‘using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks’. This compares to just 17 in 2021. E-scooter trials commenced in summer 2020[ii] during the Covid-19 pandemic and remain the only legal route to using the device on a public road. All the while private e-scooters can be purchased with their use restricted to permitted access on private land.

The data also revealed that the number of IN10s handed to those aged 17-21, who are legally able to hold a licence, has increased in the last three years. There was a 30% rise in the number of 17-year-olds caught driving or riding without insurance in 2024 compared to 2023, and a huge increase of more than 700% compared to 2021.

An IN10 will typically be added to a motorist’s licence following an investigation by police, either after a camera detects an uninsured vehicle on the road or a driver or rider is stopped by a police officer and reported. Where a driver does not hold a GB licence, a non-licence record is created to hold the endorsements.

Household finances have been squeezed in the last few years; between 2022 and 2023, car insurance premiums soared by 25%[iii]. Although premiums fell by 2% in July to September last year[iv] they remain high, particularly for young people who face additional costs when starting out, such as buying a car and paying for driving lessons. In addition, the cost of fuel hit record highs in 2022, reducing somewhat in 2023 but remaining historically expensive.[v]

In contrast, the number of those over the age of 22 receiving IN10 endorsements has fallen since 2021, although a 99-year-old was the oldest to be caught driving without insurance within the last four years.

It is illegal to drive or ride a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least third-party insurance. The penalty could be a fine of £300 and six penalty points, but if the case goes to court, offenders could face an unlimited fine and a ban. The police also have the power to seize, and in some cases, destroy the vehicle, such as e-scooters.

Additional research conducted by IAM RoadSmart of 2,437 members in February 2024 revealed that more than two-thirds (69%) of its members now identify the cost of insurance as the biggest challenge for young drivers. A pragmatic 60% believe a young driver advanced qualification should be recognised by insurers as a method to reduce costs while improving driving standards.[vi]

IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: “The number of children caught driving or riding without insurance is shocking and is likely to be down to the those riding e-scooters. Although it’s illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter on public roads, they are widely available for sale. It’s estimated that more than 750,000 private e-scooters have been bought.[vii]

“The Government needs to urgently bring forward legislation on private e-scooters, which must include minimum type approval device standards, speed limiters and proposals for riders to have a minimum level of competency.

“For car drivers aged 17-24, uninsured driving is likely to be a result of cost pressure. Young people pay the largest insurance premiums of all and rely on vehicles for independence and work opportunities. While there may be some light at the end of the tunnel with premiums starting to fall, cost will remain a barrier, and some may continue to break the law unless we see significant change.

“There are levers the Government can pull: Insurance premium tax breaks for those undertaking additional training would be a good start and can be an incentive for new drivers. In the longer term, a form of graduated licensing will be most effective for making younger drivers safer on the roads, which in turn should reduce insurance costs.”

IAM RoadSmart calls on the Government to:

• The Treasury should zero-rate insurance premium tax (IPT) on policies where licence holders under the age of 25 have completed an ‘approved driving or riding course’ which would encourage take-up of a skills-based assessment.

• The UK Government’s updated road safety strategy should focus on skills development and training (including a form of graduated driver licensing) and create a Young Drivers Taskforce within the Department for Transport which focuses on issues specifically impacting younger drivers.

• Introduce legislation on private e-scooter use to ensure they are designed and built to the safest standard and that riders using them have a certain level of competency to use them on the roads.