UK drivers urged to make simple check as 2,700,000 risk hefty fine
Almost 3 million British drivers could be forced to cough up a whopping £1,000 if they fail to adhere to a licence restriction, Martin Lewis has warned.
In the latest issue of his weekly Instagram newsletter, the much-loved 'Money Saving Expert' warned his massive following to double-check section 4b of their driving licences, so as not to be caught out by UK legislation.
The section in question is situated on the front of a British licence - the side with the little selfie on - and shows the card's expiry date.
As a reminder, your legal entitlement to drive generally lasts for decades.
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That said, however, the physical card you carry around in your wallet, or squeeze into the back of your phone case, must be updated every 10 years. Such is also the case with the photograph displayed upon it.
While, as we say, section 4b explicitly tells drivers exactly when that 10-year period ends, Lewis claims it catches out more and more drivers each year.
"While your driving licence itself is valid for many decades, the photo licence that you get is only valid for 10 years," the financial journalist explained. "And 2.7 million of them are expiring this year."
Lewis, 54, warned that the placement of the 4b section on physical licences is why so many Brits have missed the expiry date, given that it's wedged between the issue date, issuing authority and a lengthy 16-digit licence code.
And while, on the day-to-day, a slightly out-of-date licence mightn't feel like such a big deal, it most certainly is.
For reference, getting behind the wheel with an out-of-date licence is a crime, the punishment for which depends on how long it's been expired, and whether a driver has a criminal history.
"Ultimately, if you’re driving with an expired licence and you get stopped by the police, if you continue not to do what they tell you, you could be fined up to £1,000," ITV star Lewis continued.
Smaller fines could be issued to drivers who very recently missed their renewal day, while anyone who has risked it for a considerable amount of time might have to fork out a grand.
They could also receive between 3-6 points on their licence once it's finally been renewed, which is bad news for anyone who already has several penalties against them.
In more severe cases, where a driver might have been caught with an out-of-date licence several times before, or they've refused to comply with UK legislation, they could have their car seized by police, or be banned from the roads for good.
The charges mightn't end there, however.
Apparently, driving without a valid licence means your current insurance policy is automatically invalidated, which a spokesperson for GoCompare says could result in 'charges of driving without insurance'.
"If you were to cause an accident, any damage to the vehicle you were driving likely won’t be covered," the insurance site also emphasises.
As Lewis emphasises, unlike many renewal services out there, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to get your documents in order, with a new licence - completely with a valid expiry date - only costing £14.
"You do get reminders, and you should be told when your licence is due to expire, but lots of people ignore them or miss them or just don’t do it," he explained. "I hope this is a waste of time, and yours is in date without any problems.
"But just in case it isn’t, have a look at the 4b on your licence."
Topics: Money, Crime, UK News, Martin Lewis, Advice
Rhianna Benson