| Children who break the law on mini-motor bikes may | | | | offenders with. "It depends on what the points are |
| be denied car insurance when they go on to gain | | | | for...For a speeding offence it is not going to make a |
| their driver's licence. | | | | big difference, but for a drink driving offence it is |
| They are tiny bikes that reach great speeds and | | | | going to make a massive difference." |
| make a lot of noise. But police have had enough of | | | | She says for example of how prosecutions can drive |
| youths creating havoc on mini-motorbikes and now | | | | up premiums, take an 18-year-old boy living in Hove, |
| have powers to seize the annoying and sometimes | | | | East Essex. The youth drives a 2001 Ford Fiesta car. |
| dangerous toys. | | | | He has been prosecuted for dangerous driving and |
| What's more, if children are riding these miniature | | | | has only had his driver's licence for a short time. To |
| vehicles on the pavement or road, they face | | | | obtain fully comprehensive cover under a Direct Line |
| prosecution just like adults. Any penalty points | | | | insurance policy he would pay annual premiums of |
| handed out by the court will be kept on file and | | | | £2473.80. Without the conviction the price |
| activated as soon as they are old enough to apply | | | | would be £1908.90. |
| for a driver's licence. | | | | What is interesting about this is that if you take a |
| For those who have penalty points, it becomes | | | | female of the same age, driving the same car and |
| increasingly expensive to gain car insurance. And with | | | | from the same area, she would pay just £1218 |
| respect to mini-motorbikes, you could have a | | | | without a conviction and £1576.05 if she had a |
| situation where children have been prosecuted for | | | | driving conviction. So she would in fact pay less for |
| dangerous driving on these vehicles and then struggle | | | | insurance even with a conviction than a male her age |
| to find an insurance company willing to offer them a | | | | without one. Why the difference in price between |
| policy to insure their car once they are at the age of | | | | young men and women? The spokeswoman says |
| 17 and have passed their driver's licence. The best | | | | that it is because statistics show that one in three |
| case scenario is probably going to be that their | | | | young men have a serious accident within their first |
| premiums are sky high. | | | | year of driving. |
| A spokeswoman for Direct Line Insurance says | | | | A spokeswoman at the Association of British |
| mini-motorbikes are now being treated as road | | | | Insurers says the chances are if you have been |
| vehicles and drivers of them have to abide by all the | | | | caught speeding on a motor bike you are going to be |
| same traffic rules as anyone else. But while police can | | | | more at risk behind the wheel of a car than others. |
| now prosecute youths on mini-motorbikes, they are | | | | It's a known fact that young men are the most at |
| not entirely sure yet what the nuisance makers will | | | | risk of having a car accident, which is why they pay |
| be prosecuted with. "You could get prosecuted for | | | | so much more for their car insurance. |
| uninsured driving, paying no road tax or driving | | | | "I think they make up 3% of the driving population |
| without a licence," she says. | | | | but account for over 30% of all of the driving |
| She also points out that just how high insurance | | | | convictions. It depends on the insurance company, |
| premiums will be for those with mini-motorbike | | | | but we (the insurance industry) insure on risk and |
| offences will depend on what police prosecute the | | | | therefore we calculate our premiums accordingly. |