... but he backs crackdown on insurance despite a £300 fine

A CRACKDOWN on uninsured drivers was backed by the Transport Minister yesterday – only months after he was fined £300 and given six penalty points for driving without insurance.

But Humza Yousaf said he had learned his lesson as he branded those who knowingly drive without insurance ‘selfish’.

His comments came as Police Scotland began a week-long initiative targeting drivers without the correct documents.

Mr Yousaf was stopped by police carrying out routine checks last December near Dingwall in Ross-shire. In February, he was given the fine and penalty points after admitting he made an ‘honest mistake’.

As the Police Scotland campaign got under way yesterday, Mr Yousaf said the message was ‘very important’, adding: ‘You can take my word for it. It’s easy to say this could never happen to you, but that’s exactly what I thought.

‘And let me tell you, you don’t want the first time you realise you’re not properly insured to be when you’re pulled over for a routine police check while driving a friend’s car which you believe you are insured for. Especially not when you’re Transport Minister.

‘In my case, my personal circumstances had changed – I had separated from my wife and when the ownership of our car was transferred and I took on the policy, I believed I was covered not just to drive that car, but to drive other vehicles.

‘I admitted my error, took my punishment and I will never try to excuse my mistake. And in a way I’m glad I was stopped that night. Because whilst a bit of embarrassment in the newspapers is one thing, I can only imagine how much worse it would be for anyone to discover they are uninsured the hard way, in an accident.

‘So, please take my advice. It is no one else’s responsibility to ensure you are insured to drive the vehicle you are driving. When you get behind the wheel of a car, you are either insured or you’re not – there are no grey areas, and there are no excuses.’