**A three-day crackdown on unlicensed and uninsured drivers has started across Scotland.*
Police forces across the country will increase checks on motorists' licences and insurance documents from 7am on Tuesday, while also targeting other road safety offences such as speeding, failing to wear a seat belt and using a mobile phone while driving.
A police survey estimates that there are around 1.2 million uninsured drivers in the UK and insurance premiums on registered drivers are increased every year as a result.
Offenders caught in the crackdown can have their vehicle seized and be hit with between three and eight penalty points as well as a maximum fine of £5,000 for driving without insurance and £1,000 for not holding an eligible licence.
Courts can order the disqualification of the offender in the most serious cases.
Tayside Police’s head of road policing, chief inspector Sandy Bowman said: "These campaigns are essentially about providing education and enforcement in respect of road safety. They provide an opportunity to remind drivers that they are risking having their vehicle seized and subsequently crushed if they are caught driving any type of vehicle without a licence or insurance.”
Since June 2006, the force has seized over 4,000 vehicles under the Road Traffic Act, crushing 1,480 of those in that time.
Vehicles seized under the powers are only released if the owner presents valid insurance and licensing documentation. They also have to pay a £150 recovery fee plus £20 for each day the vehicle was stored.
