Unfortunately, the high level of claims, due to increased accident rates and the numbers of uninsured drivers on our roads, is a contributing factor in insurance price increases. Without an independent regulator, the insurance companies are placing intolerable demands on our motorists, particularly young drivers. While the points system is a welcome addition to help enforce road safety standards, penalties for uninsured drivers – of any age – should entail confiscation of the vehicle, with the proceeds given to the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland, the agency that pays the claims against uninsured drivers.