Driving with provisional and no insurance

[aldino]

Hi

Unfortunately I got stopped by a police bike when taking my friends car for a quick spin round my block, down a very small and quiet street. I am going to start lessons soon, but I have been learning a bit in family/friend's cars to save on buying too many lessons.

I have a provisional licence and am not insured on his car. There were also no L plates. He is fully insured, over 21, had licence more then 3 years etc etc, no problems on his side.

Anyway I have been told I would get a court summons in the post - just wondering what the expected penalty will be?

Thanks.

[fungus]

Hi aldino, and welcome to the forum.

It is difficult to know exactly what punishment the magistrate will impose, as that would be up to the individual magistrate. The Highway Code gives a list of maximum penalties that are possible for a given offence. In your case, driving without insurance carries a maximum fine of £5000. The magistrate has the option of disqualifying you from driving, and 6-8 penalty points on your licence. Given that you have not passed your DSA driving test and completed a two year probationary period on a full licence without incurring 6 penalty points, I woud imagine that you will lose your licence. The maximum penalty is rarely imposed however, and then only in the worst cases, ie, in the case of a persistant offender.

Some will correct me if I'm wrong, but you are guilty of the offence of driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, as you were not displaying L plates. This offence carries a maximum fine of £1000, discretionary disqualification, and 3-6 penalty points.

As I said before these penalties are rarely imposed, only in the ost extreme cases.

As far as your freind is concerned. If he was the accompanying driver, he could be prossecuted for aiding & abbeting a motoring offence. I don't wish to be a doom and gloom merchant, but driving without insurance is a very serious offence, and is rightly regarded so by many.

Added to that when you do insure your first car, the insurance company will take a very dim view of this offence, and you will find that your insurance premium is very high. So all round your little venture around the block could prove very expensive indeed.


Nigel ADI
IAM trainee observer