The figures, obtained under a result of a Freedom of Information request, found that 473,564 drivers were handed penalty points for driving uninsured.

The average fine issued in 2012 was £322, and while penalties increased by 13 per cent between 2010 and 2012, they remain a fraction of the £5,000 maximum penalty.

Warwickshire issued the largest fines averaging £385, while fines in South Yorkshire were almost 50 per cent lower at £260.

Steve Barrett, head of car insurance at Churchill, said: “A number of improvements have been made to tackle the issue of uninsured drivers over the past couple of years, but there are still a shocking number of irresponsible motorists taking to the roads without mandatory cover. Untraced and uninsured drivers cause 130 deaths and over 26,000 injuries every year, so more must be done to stamp out this problem.”

Previous research by Direct Line Group found that motorists would support a higher fine of £900 to deter uninsured drivers.

Barrett said: “The average motorist prosecuted for driving without insurance is fined only a fraction of the maximum penalty. Higher fines, especially those that exceed the cost of the average motor insurance premium, will undoubtedly help discourage offenders.”