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Topic of the Month
September 2010

New drivers - make sure that you are insured.

In the euphoria of passing your driving test, don’t forget that the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995, establishes a two year probationary period for newly qualified drivers. If you accumulate 6 or more points during that period then the licence will be revoked and you will have to re-take your driving test.

Newly qualified drivers should be particularly cautious about driving someone else's  vehicle.  With insurance premiums being so high for newly qualified drivers, very few policies cover the new driver to drive other vehicles,  even with the consent of the owner.  If you are thinking of driving someone else's vehicle, then check both their and your insurance policies very carefully and if at all in doubt, phone the insurance companies for clarification.

The penalty for driving without insurance is a minimum of 6 penalty points on your driving licence.  Although there may be exceptional circumstances where the points are not imposed, in the vast majority of cases, any newly qualified driver found to be driving without insurance will automatically have their licence revoked, meaning the expense of paying for the theory and practical driving test.   There is no process of appeal against the revocation, although if the offence was contested at court, there would be a right of appeal against sentence or conviction