Insurers call for U-turn on plans to wipe driving offences after 12 months

A number of insurers have said the Scottish government’s plans for a fairer rehabilitation scheme for offenders will mean they cannot identify dangerous drivers and that premiums will have to go up across the board.

They also warned the proposals remove a deterrent to driving responsibly and called on ministers to make a U-turn on the plans.

Under the plans, those who are fined for driving offences such as driving without insurance or speeding would see them “spent” after a year as opposed to the current five years.

The changes may also apply to drink-drivers, meaning their offences too would be spent depending on their sentence.

Direct Line Group, responding to a government consultation, said the plan was “extremely disproportionate” and that it would no longer be able to identify drivers who risk the lives of others.

It added: “If insurers are only able to ask for endorsable motoring offences which are less than 12 months old, insurers would no longer have the ability to identify those drivers who drive without care for motoring laws, such as speed restrictions.

“The impact of this would be to share the risk across all the drivers resident in Scotland, thus increasing the premiums for those drivers who have not committed any motoring offences.

“The Scottish Government proposals would lead to a significant dumbing down of serious offences, which would normally lead to a higher insurance premium, and would remove one of the deterrents against poor driving behaviour - people generally drive more responsibly after motoring convictions until the convictions are spent.”

The Forum of Scottish Claims Managers said: “Reducing the period to one year would have a damaging and negative impact on road safety and lead to higher motor premiums for safer drivers.”

Road safety charity Brake, said the proposals could essentially “air brush out” driving convictions after 12 months. Gary Rae, campaigns director for the charity said: “We’re seriously concerned that this could remove any obligation for some drivers to drive safely, as well as potentially increasing insurance premiums for all drivers.”

Conservative transport spokesman, Alex Johnstone said: “Once again, the SNP government have obviously not thought through the wider implications for all drivers.

“How is it fair that good drivers will be hit hard in this way? Road safety may also be badly hit, with there being less of an incentive to drive carefully. The nationalists need to rethink these imprudent plans.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: “The responses received to the consultation will inform Scottish government decisions about next steps in this area. This includes in the area of road traffic offences.

“Protection of the public will remain at the forefront of any future decisions, which will be made after the analysis has been completed and scrutinised.”