New powers to tackle uninsured drivers have been announced.

If introduced following a consultation, it will become an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle - rather than just to drive when uninsured.

Road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: "Increased police powers already mean more than 400 uninsured vehicles are seized every day but these tough new measures will leave uninsured drivers with nowhere to hide."

The DVLA will work in partnership with the insurance industry to identify uninsured vehicles.

Once identified as a keeper of an uninsured vehicle, motorists will receive a letter warning them that they will be fined unless they insure it within a set period.

If the keeper fails to insure the vehicle he or she will be given a £100 fine.

If the vehicle remains uninsured - regardless of whether the fine is paid - it could then be seized and destroyed.

Police already have powers to seize and destroy vehicles being driven uninsured.

The British Insurance Brokers' Association spokesman Graeme Trudgill said:"It is vital that the proposed new measures, making it an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle, are implemented swiftly and with the full force of the law so that it can cut straight to the centre of the UK's lawless uninsured drivers.”