Warning over little-known licence rule that carries £1,000 fine
Young drivers face a disproportionate risk of £1,000 fines for outdated personal information on their licences, a new survey shows.
A survey of 2,000 British adults by Direct Line motor insurance found eight per cent of drivers aged 18-27 had the wrong address on their licence.
The same proportion admitted their license was generally outdated, while four percent had an incorrect title such as Mr., Mrs. or Ms.
Direct Line commented that there was a “significant gap in compliance and awareness” among young drivers compared to older groups. Drivers aged 60 and over were the ones most likely to have their information up to date.
On average, drivers whose driver’s license information is out of date said this has been the case for about two years.
In the UK, anyone with outdated or incorrect information on a license will face six penalty points, insurance invalidation and a fine of up to £1,000.
Direct Line motor manager Matt Pernet said: “Motorists are legally required to notify the DVLA of any change of name, address or any change of medical condition that may affect their ability to drive safely.
“However, our research shows that millions of drivers may have outdated information, meaning they could be in breach of their licence.
“Incorrect information regarding your license can lead to significant fines and may also affect your insurance.
“We strongly request drivers to check the accuracy of their license information and update it as soon as possible if their personal information changes.”
Other licensing rules you may not know
- With the arrival of sunny weather, many people will spend more time outside with their pets. Some may be surprised to learn that dogs must be restrained inside the vehicle while it is in motion to prevent them from distracting the driver. This is according to Article 57 of the Highway Code.
- If the police notice you eating or drinking while driving, they may ticket you for not properly controlling your vehicle. This could lead to a £200 fine and six points being added to your licence.
- Drivers have the right to customize their vehicle’s interior, but decorating can go too far. A lesser-known rule is that the control panel should not be distracting. Road regulation laws say that the driver’s view cannot be obstructed while behind the wheel, as this could impede safe driving. Police can issue three penalty points to those who breach this, as well as a fine of between £100 and £2,500.
- Drivers, as a rule, do not need to undergo regular eye examinations. However, in order to drive, they must meet a certain vision standard or, if they cannot achieve this, they must wear glasses. Drivers with poor eyesight could face a fine of up to £1,000 and a three-point penalty.
- Sometimes everyone can get a little hot behind the wheel. However, a driver caught shouting, using abusive language or making rude hand gestures can be convicted of dangerous or careless driving under Section 59 of the Police Reform Act. This could lead to a £1,000 fine and three points on their licence.
