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Original poster

Driving without licence - WWYD

321 replies

Washingyourcurtains · 28/09/2019 20:32

I've recently found out my father in law has never had a driving licence. He's in his 60s and has owned and driven cars all his adult life, just never took his test. I'm shocked about this so would be interested to know what others think and if this is more widespread. Obviously it's a big secret so I can't discuss it with people in real life.

He drives my 2 young children around, sometimes long distances and on motorways as we live the other end of the country and sometimes meet half way to hand over the children and they go to theirs by themselves (which in itself is great for all of us). But I feel really uncomfortable about them being in his car now as he doesn't have insurance (presumably). It will cause a massive issue with my partner if I stop them from being driven by him as he will think I'm overreacting. But what if he has an accident and they are seriously injured and there is no insurance? Should I just overlook it? What would you do.

OP posts:
MyOtherProfile · 28/09/2019 20:33

Does it nullify insurance? Do they ask for licence details on insurance? I can't remember.

balalalala · 28/09/2019 20:35

Personally, my children would never get in the car with them again regardless of the fall out it might cause.

mypuddin · 28/09/2019 20:36

He's not insured to drive. He is driving illegally. You can report anonymously, do it through crime stoppers if you want to. Give his name , address and car details. The police can then do a 'random' stop check when they see the car and catch him in the act.

LisaRoundTheMulberryBush · 28/09/2019 20:36

In order to be insured you have to be driving legally, so he isn’t insured!

littleorangecat22 · 28/09/2019 20:36

My kids would not be in the car with him driving again until he has taken his test. He needs to be taking the test if he is going to drive.

LizzyDarcy1 · 28/09/2019 20:36

I think I'd have to say something in this situation.

When you apply for insurance you have to confirm you have a licence. If you don't then you lied and the insurance wouldn't be valid.

Do the rest of the family think it's OK?

CatToddlerUprising · 28/09/2019 20:36

Personally, I would call the police and report. He wouldn’t have valid car insurance. No way would I let him drive my children. He’s lucky he hasn’t been caught so far.

HairyFloppins · 28/09/2019 20:37

He won't have insurance. My kids would not be getting in that car again.

BettysLeftTentacle · 28/09/2019 20:41

Yeah my kids wouldn’t be getting in a car where he was behind the wheel again.

Hearthside · 28/09/2019 20:43

I got hit few years ago by an uninsured taxi driver caused me no end of hassle because he had no insurance .Would he be driving my children , absolutely not .He has never passed a test regardless fact he has driven all his adult life no one has actually tested his driving skills legally .I wouldn't give two hoots about the fall out .I would report anonymously. He is driving illegally and if he does have an accident and injure or kill someone then he would be in serious trouble. Food for thought .

Ilikewinter · 28/09/2019 20:44

OMG, no I would not overlook it.

Also, if he has an accident his insurance (assuming he has it) will be void.

BringOnTheScience · 28/09/2019 20:44

The smallest offence could cause this all to unravel. Caught speeding, or clipping a bus lane... he'll be caught & prosecuted.
One minor bump where the other driver uses thrir insirance - he'll be caught.

He must have lied to the insurance comoany ... assuming he even has insurance! It'll be invalid.

Grannybags · 28/09/2019 20:44

Most insurance companies have it as as a condition of the cover, so it is highly likely he would not be insured. Even if he is one of the safest drivers ever, you can not account for other road users.
I wouldn’t want him driving my child anywhere - at the very least he is commiting a criminal offence and that’s not the kind of role model I would want my son to have. Imagine he is stopped by the police and arrested when your children are with him?

AlwaysCheddar · 28/09/2019 20:45

If anyone thinks you’re overreacting they are stupid. I’d never let him take my kids in a car again! That’s appalling. Tell the police.

LionelRitchieStoleMyNotebook · 28/09/2019 20:45

Are you absolutely sure? Most insurers ask for licence number and there's no way he's been driving around completely uninsured for all these years without getting picked up on an ANPR camera somewhere. Does he just mean he never took a formal civilian test? My grandfather didn't, he drove in the army, including large armoured and non armoured vehicles, when he came out he was given an HGV licence, just had to fill in a form! He definitely had a legitimate licence as he rescinded it a couple of years ago due to his health and eyesight.

FairfaxAikman · 28/09/2019 20:47

Are you absolutely sure he has no licence?
There was a time a licence gained in the army could be swapped for a civilian licence without a formal civilian test. (DGF's "test" was taking a sergeant from barracks to the train station in Edinburgh at rush hour - with 1950s volumes of traffic!)

Could that possibly be the case in this instance?

TheFairyCaravan · 28/09/2019 20:47

I'd report him to the police. It's better that you do it now before he kills someone and ends up behind bars. Me or my kids would never go in his car ever again, either.

BananasAreTheSourceOfEvil · 28/09/2019 20:49

Not in the uk but driving without insurance here gets you an automatic ban, it’s a criminal offence. Plus, he’s not insured. If he’s lied and said he has a licence- he’s not insured. If somehow he’s slipped through the cracks, stayed with the same insurer for donkeys years and never had to produce the licence it will be somewhere in the t&cs that he must have a licence... so he’s not insured and even if they’ve never asked, the onus is on him to tell them.

He’s driving illegally and has no insurance- I dare say he’s a good driver as you let the kids with him not knowing until now, but if god forbid he had an accident you’d have no comeback.

I wouldn’t risk it- everything is fine until you have an accident. No one sees them coming, but I wouldn’t allow the kids in the car. Doesn’t matter how many years he’s been doing it.

I’d be surprised if he found someone to insure him now if he told the truth tbh, but I’m not uk and they are super tight on insurance here.

MondeoFan · 28/09/2019 20:49

My children's NaN is the same. Never passed her test but drives.
She lives 325 miles away so luckily doesn't take my DC out in her car but if she did I'd be telling her no.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 28/09/2019 20:50

Most insurers ask for licence number

No insurer has ever asked for evidence that I have a licence (I’ve had one for 27 years). BUT I always have to confirm I have a licence and whether (or not in my case) I have any points.

If your FIL does not have a licence then he is driving uninsured and there is no way my children would be getting in that car.

BlackHillsofDakota · 28/09/2019 20:52

My grandad never took a test, as others have said he was given one during the war. He did have a licence, just never had to take a test to get it.

Borderterrierpuppy · 28/09/2019 20:52

Op if heaven forbid he had an accident and someone needed long term support, there would be no insurance payout.
Just think about that and report him.

katalavenete · 28/09/2019 20:53

So how did you find out then?

soulrider · 28/09/2019 20:54

If he's in his 60s he'll have been born mid 50s. He won't have learnt to drive in the war!

Original poster
Washingyourcurtains · 28/09/2019 20:54

He wasn't in the army. I'm not sure how he gets insurance without giving licence details. He got a speeding ticket recently which is why he told us (my partner didn't even know - he's been driving him around all his life). He thought he was going to get prosecuted but he paid the fine and got away with it somehow.

It's so useful to hear you all have the same view as me, will help me stand my ground.

OP posts: