An investigation has revealed that more than 900,000 drivers are at risk of being fined £1,000 after failing to renew their driving licences.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) figures obtained by PA news agency following a Freedom of Information request, show that 926,000 (2 per cent of all drivers) people who were entitled to a photocard on September 3 had their licenses expire in the 12 months leading up to the end of August. In the past year, around 2.5 million drivers renewed their photocard after it had expired - or within 56 days of the expiry date in the past year.
According to the law, driving entitlement usually remains until someone reaches the age of 70 - after this, the licence must be renewed every three years in order to keep using the road. However, all photocards must be renewed every 10 years in order to make sure that a driver's likeness is kept accurate.
If a driver fails to return an expired licence, they could be punished under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and be fined up to £1,000. However, renewing a licence late does not automatically lead to a fine being issued - a person can still drive while the DVLA is processing a renewal application as long as they meet the requirements.
Philip Gomm of the RAC Foundation said: “There are good reasons to keep licences up to date, beyond the basic legal requirement. They are also a widely accepted form of ID and will certainly be required if you are ever stopped by police.
“Renewal also provides an opportunity for people to assess whether they are still fit to drive, and we think there is an argument for linking a compulsory eye test to the process to make sure we all remain safe on the road, though Government should help keep costs as low as possible for motorists. When you do renew beware of private web sites which offer to help with the application but charge an extra fee for doing so.”
The DVLA advises motorists to update their licence on its official website as this would be quickest. Applications cost £14 and are generally processed within five days. Postal renewals cost £17, while doing it at a Post Office has a £21.50 fee.
A DVLA spokeswoman said: “We encourage customers to use GOV.UK as applying online is the quickest and cheapest way to renew their photocard driving licence. If you stop driving altogether, you should inform DVLA and return your licence rather keeping it as a form of out of date photo ID.”
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