Drivers are being warned that they face hefty punishments if they are caught travelling without appropriate car insurance, as police launch a major crackdown.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has launched a national campaign targeting uninsured drivers to ensure all road users are safe when travelling.
Operation Drive Insured aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads across the country in a week-long campaign.
The police force will increase road activity by detecting and seizing uninsured vehicles being driven illegally, with Belfast among the top 12 cities in the UK for uninsured driving.
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Preliminary figures show that the PSNI has seized 1,461 vehicles for being driven with no insurance on roads across Northern Ireland between January 1 and November 6.
If a police officer stops a vehicle on a road without valid insurance, it can be seized and will not be released until insurance is produced and a release fee has been paid.
The release fee also includes the recovery fee and storage charges, although after 14 days, the vehicle is disposed of to recover costs.
Superintendent Jonathan Wilson, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said all drivers need to ensure they have proper insurance to be on the road.
The police operation will take place across Northern Ireland this week
|PA
He added that the police force would also try and educate drivers on potential "innocent mistakes" that they could be making if they don't realise they are uninsured.
Superintendent Wilson continued, saying: "The law regarding vehicle insurance is clear - before you drive a vehicle, it is your responsibility to ensure you have the appropriate insurance cover in place.
"I would encourage everyone to pay particular attention to the wording of their insurance policy, as sometimes people mistakenly believe they have cover to drive other vehicles but, when stopped by police, this sometimes is not the case."
Roads Policing Teams from the PSNI will embark on the campaign developed by the National Roads Policing Operations, Intelligence and Investigations (NRPOII) committee and in partnership with the Motor Insurers' Bureau.
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Motorists could face huge consequences for driving without insurance
|PSNI
Operation Drive Insured will be active from November 10 until November 16, with road policing units aiming to crack down on uninsured drivers.
The offence of uninsured driving can also carry between six and eight penalty points at a Magistrates' Court.
Similarly, motorists breaking the law can be slapped with a discretionary driving disqualification and an unlimited fine.
In the event that the case is dealt with at the roadside, drivers will be issued a fixed penalty notice, which carries a fine of £200 and six points on their licence.
The crackdown on uninsured vehicles is part of Operation Drive Insured
| NORTH WALES POLICESuperintendent Wilson acknowledged that there were genuine instances where drivers assumed that their policy would auto-renew, or that comprehensive insurance would cover driving other vehicles.
He reiterated the importance of ensuring the policy is valid, especially when using a vehicle for business purposes.
The Superintendent called on all drivers to properly read any policies or correspondence they have received from their insurers and "never make any assumptions".
"Our message is very clear. Check you have the correct insurance in place before you take to the roads. When we detect an uninsured driver, the vehicle will be seized on the spot and they will face the full rigour of the law," he concluded.