Parents and guardians have been warned to check they have the correct insurance in place to teach youngsters to drive – or their vehicle could be seized. While most teen learners book lessons with a qualified instructor, outings with family and friends are a great way to boost learning and clock up some extra hours of practice.
But Graham Conway, Managing Director of Select Car Leasing, said dreams of the open road could quickly turn into a nightmare if important checks are not carried out.
He said: “Parents or guardians taking youngsters out for extra lessons has long been a part of the learning-to-drive experience. According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), those supervising must be over the age of 21 and have held a licence for at least three years.
“They must be qualified to drive the type of vehicle involved – which means they need a manual vehicle licence if they're supervising in a manual car.
“And they must obviously be fully insured on their own vehicle, but also take into consideration suitable cover for the learner otherwise they could fall foul of the law.
“If someone on a provisional licence is not correctly insured on the vehicle they are driving they could be issued with a fine of up to £1,000 and get six penalty points.
“Police also have the power to seize the car, and if the case ends up in court there is the potential for an unlimited fine and a driving ban.”
Recent data released by the Motor Insurer’s Bureau revealed that an estimated 25,000 Brits are driving illegally on a provisional licence and without valid insurance.
Around half of these were also driving unsupervised. There are some straightforward options to ensure those requiring L plates are fully covered.
Select Car Leasing’s Mr Conway added: “If a learner driver is practising in their own vehicle they need insurance for that. Very often adding a black box can mean cheaper premiums. If you are using someone else’s car, you can get a short-term policy or become a named driver on someone else’s insurance.
“This is an area worth checking as not all insurance companies will let their policyholders add a learner driver, and some have a higher minimum age, often 25.
“It’s also worth noting that any No Claims bonus will be affected if the learner driver has an accident. The best approach is to give them a call and check everything is covered and in order.”
It’s not just parents who have to be wary when supervising their kids behind the wheel. Police in Shropshire recently pulled over a 15-year-old girl who was teaching her dad to drive – complete with L plates.
He was reported for driving in breach of licence conditions and without third party insurance.
