One in seven motorists has driven without proper insurance, according to a poll.

Nine per cent of respondents said they had driven someone else's car despite not being insured, while six per cent had driven their own car without cover.

Moneysupermarket.com, the price comparison website that conducted the research, said drivers who thought they could save money by not paying insurance were sorely mistaken.

"While the cost of insuring a car can be high for young males, they shouldn't be attracted by the false economy of skimping on insurance," warned Richard Mason, director of insurance at Moneysupermarket.com.

"If caught without cover, uninsured drivers can get a £200 on-the-spot fine, six points on their licence and their car impounded.

"Uninsured drivers are ten times more likely to have a drink driving conviction and six times more likely to be driving an unsafe vehicle and 160 deaths on UK roads each year involve uninsured driving," he added.

Men are twice as likely to drive without insurance, with 21 per cent of male respondents admitting to having done so in the past.

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