Police have welcomed Government plans to allow the crushing of cars owned by Southend's estimated 5,000 uninsured drivers.
Southend police have already towed away dozens of untaxed cars to be crushed. Now they are keen for the powers to be extended to uninsured drivers.
The Evening Echo reported on Tuesday that hit-and-run accidents in Essex had increased by 43 per cent in the past four years.
The police put much of the rise down to uninsured drivers taking off after crash for fear of being penalised.
Community safety officer PC Simon Puttock, of Westcliff police, said: "In Southend we use automatic number plate recognition equipment, which highlights that a vehicle may be uninsured.
"We stop between five to ten uninsured drivers a day and we hold these operations twice a week.
"We would welcome any measures that reduce the number of uninsured vehicles."
Published Thursday August 12, 2004
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