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Original poster

Likelihood of being caught driving with no licence?

277 replies

Throwaway283833848 · 20/10/2019 23:01

Currently don’t have a driving licence.

What is the likelihood of being stopped by the police?

Myself and my husband are both insured on the car.

I know it’s unreasonable, just wondering how likely it is?

OP posts:
bellinisurge · 21/10/2019 15:24

It would be a great comfort to me if I lost a family member to an uninsured and unlicensed driver who is clearly casual about their responsibilities as a driver because @Lifecraft says it's ok to drive without a licence.

SoupDragon · 21/10/2019 15:33

Nope, within the terms of a valid licence. If you knew about the law in these matters, you'd understand what that means. But you clearly don't.

Oh. Clearly you use a different version of "valid" that actually means "invalid". Got you.

Contraceptionismyfriend · 21/10/2019 15:33

@Lifecraft are you drinking?

Mintjulia · 21/10/2019 15:34

Op, if you are caught with no insurance, you are looking at at least a 12 month ban and your car being crushed.

Get a can. Or a train.

EmilyStar · 21/10/2019 15:34

Well, Lifeline, given the potential consequences if the police and my insurance company were to disagree with your stance that it’s just fine to drive with an expired photocard, I think it’d be foolish and irresponsible to say the least to just not bother renewing the photocard.

BlaueLagune · 21/10/2019 15:54

If you don't have a valid licence you should not be driving. You are not safe to drive

Personally I think this post is an excellent advert for the desire held by me and others that banned drivers should have their vehicles confiscated and it being made illegal for anyone to sell or let them hire one or for others to allow them access to drive one

You are both making assumptions without any evidence (not unusual for MN, it has to be said)

There is also another scenario - you have lost your licence because of a medical condition, but are now signed off as fit to drive, but the DVLA is dragging its feet. Happened to a friend of mine, the DVLA lost the paperwork from the specialist, and he had to start all over again and wait another 3 months to get his licence back. The only upside was it was the dry summer of 2018 so he could cycle, and commuted to work on the train.

I would not condone someone driving in those circumstances because their insurance would be invalidated, but they would not be unfit or unsafe to drive, its the DVLA's incompetence. It's not like losing your licence for drunk driving or having too many penalty points.

Lifecraft · 21/10/2019 16:00

It would be a great comfort to me if I lost a family member to an uninsured and unlicensed driver who is clearly casual about their responsibilities as a driver because @Lifecraft says it's ok to drive without a licence.

Where did I say that? Do you always lie to try and win an argument?

Lifecraft · 21/10/2019 16:02

Well, Lifeline, given the potential consequences if the police and my insurance company were to disagree with your stance that it’s just fine to drive with an expired photocard, I think it’d be foolish and irresponsible to say the least to just not bother renewing the photocard.

I never said it was fine. Are you thick?? I said it didn't invalidate your insurance...and it doesn't.

Paddington68 · 21/10/2019 16:03

Why don't you have a licence?

Lifecraft · 21/10/2019 16:21

Op, if you are caught with no insurance, you are looking at at least a 12 month ban and your car being crushed.

Nope, another load of old tosh. No one gets a 12 month ban for having no insurance. You get 6 points and a fine. Your car can be crushed under certain circumstances, but in most cases, it isn't.

I wish people who don't know the facts would refrain from posting nonsense.

Contraceptionismyfriend · 21/10/2019 16:38

@Lifecraft take your own advice!!

BossAssBitch · 21/10/2019 16:45

Get the bus. You utter, utter knob

Deadposhtory · 21/10/2019 16:47

I know someone who never took a test and has been driving for forty years

DontLookBackIntoTheSun · 21/10/2019 17:14

Lifecraft is right. Someone caught driving without insurance is most likely to get a fine and 6 points. For no licence, a smaller fine and 3 points.
And your insurance will not be invalidated merely because you have failed to renew your photo card

IamPickleRick · 21/10/2019 17:25

BlaueLagune This happened to me after I surrendered my license when my epilepsy was first diagnosed and therefore uncontrolled. The DVLA wrote and said it is taking some time to process due to a busy period but you are able to drive if you are 100% sure that you will be granted a new license.

I was 99% sure, so I didn’t drive. I think OPs sister is quite the raging dick head.

Nowisthemonthofmaying · 21/10/2019 17:33

Lifecraft is right - I'm a magistrate and this has come up in the past, where someone has automatically been charged with no insurance because they were driving with no licence. We had to get the no insurance charge dropped as after checking the terms of the insurance, it was only void if the driver had been disqualified.

Driving without a licence is an offence (and stupid) but it's really not as serious as some people on here are making out - usually people just get a small fine.

Boireannachlaidir · 21/10/2019 17:45

@subwaysaladfan I know, I wondered exactly that too! GrinI guess people just like arguing on the Internet, maybe this will make it to 300 posts! Whoop for OP! Wink

bellinisurge · 21/10/2019 17:58

Just because it doesn't result in a massive sanction doesn't mean it's ok. It indicates a disregard for the law. Which indicates a careless driver. Careless drivers kill people.

hellenbackagen · 21/10/2019 18:32

I'd advise caution and careful checking on the insurance policy wording before telling anyone carte Blanche it won't invalidate insurance.

And of course - I'd you've never passed a test or your driving while disqualified you'll be fined and accrue points- usually after 12 it's a ban.
But - I wouldn't want to even think about the cost of getting insurance in the future- the price would reflect the risk and would be astronomical.

Lifecraft · 21/10/2019 20:12

@DontLookBackIntoTheSun Lifecraft is right. Someone caught driving without insurance is most likely to get a fine and 6 points. For no licence, a smaller fine and 3 points.And your insurance will not be invalidated merely because you have failed to renew your photo card

@Nowisthemonthofmaying Lifecraft is right - I'm a magistrate and this has come up in the past, where someone has automatically been charged with no insurance because they were driving with no licence. We had to get the no insurance charge dropped as after checking the terms of the insurance, it was only void if the driver had been disqualified. Driving without a licence is an offence (and stupid) but it's really not as serious as some people on here are making out - usually people just get a small fine.

Thanks both. I'll await the apology from various posters, I'm sure it'll be forthcoming! Grin

Lifecraft · 21/10/2019 20:16

@hellenbackagen I'd advise caution and careful checking on the insurance policy wording before telling anyone carte Blanche it won't invalidate insurance.

Well that's poor advice. Insurance isn't the wild west, they have standards they have to meet and covers they have to provide by law. You've had a magistrate now post to say that not having a licence will not invalidate insurance, unless disqualified. What more do people want.

Things don't become true just because you want them to be true or think that's the way things should be.

Lifecraft · 21/10/2019 20:24

Just because it doesn't result in a massive sanction doesn't mean it's ok. It indicates a disregard for the law. Which indicates a careless driver. Careless drivers kill people.

It might indicate a disregard for the law. But for many people, it can indicate an oversight or a simple error. You could be driving a van you think you are covered to drive by your car licence, not realising that the van is slightly heavier than you thought and you don't have a licence for it.

Many people who get done for driving without a licence are driving a vehicle their licence doesn't cover, and they thought it did. Even driving a big heavy car with a big caravan can put you over the legal weight for a car licence if you passed in 1997 onwards, which is when they reduced the weights you could drive.

Phimma · 21/10/2019 20:27

Dislike people immensely who think the law doesn't apply to them. No you can't drive, you are not licenced.

End of.

How you can even ask the question.

AbsinthedelaBonchance · 21/10/2019 21:14

Prosecutor here. Most insurance companies have changed from the old ambiguous wording being quoted above to include the word "valid" before licence- because frankly a lot of magistrates were being misled by defence solicitors. No insurance is 6-8PP or a discretionary disqualification. No licence is 3-6PP. Poster above who said someone got 12 months imprisonment for drink-driving - only if it happened before 1988! Max for that is 6 months - same for disqualified driving - and they can't stack as they're both summary only.

TrainspottingWelsh · 21/10/2019 21:32

Having an expired photo card does invalidate some insurance. Only recently we had a new colleague with one, and he definitely couldn't be insured until it was updated.

Plus, if the photo card was irrelevant, why do the dvla want them back when someone can't drive short term due to a medical condition.

And why does the dvla website show your licence as invalid if your photo card doesn't matter? Rather than valid, needs a new photo?

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