UK motorists are calling for the police to make better use of speed cameras to ensure vehicles have valid insurance, MOT and road tax.

90% of motorists backed the idea that speed cameras should also be used to catch drivers who are flouting other motoring laws

A survey by IAM RoadSmart found 90% of motorists backed the idea that speed cameras should also be used to catch drivers who are flouting these motoring laws.

Estimates suggest that someone is injured every 20 minutes on UK roads by an uninsured driver and that more than a quarter of motorists don’t even know when their vehicle’s next MOT is due, while there’s around 630,000 unlicenced vehicles in the UK – showing just why a crackdown is needed.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy & research, said: “These results paint a very clear picture. Law-abiding motorists are in favour of the police using existing equipment to help make our roads safer by catching motorists who think the rules don’t apply to them.

“Of course, the primary purpose of catching speeding motorists is paramount but it should not be overlooked the suffering that drivers of vehicles which are uninsured, unlicenced and without a valid MOT can cause other road users.”

The IAM’s research of motorists’ attitudes also found 82% also supported using cameras to automatically fine drivers who run red lights in urban areas.

And 80% of motorists were in favour of using cameras to automatically fine drivers who drive more than 10mph over the speed limit on residential streets.

Greig added: “If speed camera partnerships are issuing speeding tickets they should also follow up on a wider range of offences and this is backed by the vast majority of drivers. Getting law breakers off our roads could significantly help reduce the number of casualties caused by motorists with no regard for their motoring responsibilities.”