Protect Driving Licence

So you want to protect your driving licence?

Well, you’re in the right place :- )

Everyone makes a mistake from time to time, regardless of our good intentions. However, with mistakes come consequences and it’s these consequences that can have an impact on your driving licence.

The good news is we can help you protect your driving licence even if you receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution.

Unless you have already been given a lot of legal advice you may not know what to do if you receive a NIP. On some occasions, a NIP may result in a loss of a driving licence but this does not have to be the case with you.

Here’s what you need to do:

Adhere to the deadlines

Make sure that only the individual to whom the NIP is addressed to fills out the NIP form. You have 28 days to reply.

Make sure you send it by Royal Mail 1st Class ‘Signed For’ and keep your receipt as proof in case you need it. The driver that as named in the notice will receive an S172 notice which confirms they were driving at the time of the alleged incident. Again, send it by Royal Mail 1st Class ‘Signed For’ and keep your receipt as proof in case you need it.

If you do not reply within 28 days you could be given 6 penalty points and fined up to £600.

Ask for the Speed Awareness Course

It’s so easy to speed when you are unaware of what the speed limit is. This is particularly the case when there are no road signs indicating the speed.

If there are lamp posts on the side of the road that are around 200 metres apart the speed limit is 30 miles per hour. Roads that have differing speeds should be signposted.

If you are caught speeding you may be given from 3 to 6 points. If you were caught travelling at 20 mph over the speed limit you could be disqualified immediately.

You could lose your full driving licence for at least 3 months. If you are pulled over because you were speeding you may want to ask if you can take a speed awareness course.

This course will prevent you from having any points added to your licence. Please note, you will only have the option of attending this course if you were within 11 miles per hour of the speed limit.

Renew your licence when you’re 70

Protect driving licence by renewing it when you’re 70. Licences are revoked automatically when you turn 70.

The good news is you can apply for the licence to continue to drive before you turn 70. You can make the application up to 90 days (3 months) before you turn 70.

You will then have to renew the licence every 3 years, regardless of how well you drive. If you continue to drive once your licence has been revoked your car insurance will automatically become invalid.

You could face a penalty of up to 150% of your weekly income along with 6 to 8 penalty points.

Update your driving licence

If you move house you’ll need to update your driving licence along with your vehicle registration document. Failure to give the DVLA your new address penalty notices will be mailed to your old address.

You will not respond to these notices within 28 days as you will not know they exist. This means you could be summoned to court for failing to provide details of the driver.

You could, therefore, face a penalty of up to 150% of your weekly income along with 6 to 8 penalty points. If this happens to you it’s important that you seek legal advice ASAP.

Report an accident

If you’re involved in a road traffic accident you must stop and give the other driver your details. This is irrespective of whether anyone was injured or a car got damaged.

You will be committing an offence if you do not provide your details even if you did stop. If someone has been injured you must tell the police as soon as you can and within 24 hours.

Even if there is just a small bump and no-one was injured you should still tell the police and provide your details. If you do not provide details you could be imprisoned for up to 6 months.

You could also be fined 150% of your weekly income and face getting 5 to 10 points on your licence. In England and Wales, if you end up with 12 points on your licence you will be disqualified for at least 6 but maybe as many as 12 months.