Practising to Drive with Family Member or Friend
We all know that not all If you practise driving with a member of your family or one of your friends whom you don’t pay for his or her services, there are requirements that should be met so that any applied law couldn’t be infringed, so any penalty could be avoided.
So, anyone you practise your driving with must: (1.) be over 21 years old. (2.) be qualified to drive the type of car that you choose to learn in. An example for this is that: he or she must have a manual car driving licence. It’s applicable if he or she is supervising you using a manual vehicle. (3.) have had his or her full driving licence for three years from countries in the European Union.
It’s worth bearing in mind that you can get up to six penalty points on your provisional driving licence and be fined up to £1,000 if you drive a car without the right supervision of a fully licensed driver.
If you have followed the rules, you actually can drive a vehicle with as many passengers as it can legally hold. And one thing you must always bear in mind is that it’s illegal for your family member or a friend to use a mobile phone whilst he or she is supervising you at wheel.
It’s been put into a constant reminder because when you’re learning fast and already able to drive the car with less supervision, the one supervising you tends to feel relax and the tendency is that he or she will use a mobile phone if need arises or tempted to do so.
Another important reminder for you is about your insurance. Remember that as a learner driver, you need your own insurance if you practise driving a car of your own. Your friend or your family member supervising you is usually covered by this insurance policy.
If you practise driving in someone else’s vehicle, make sure that their insurance policy also covers you as a learner driver. And remember also that there are some insurance companies in the United Kingdom (UK) that require the fully licensed driver supervising you must be more than 25 years of age.
In driving without insurance, you’re putting yourself in danger of a career loss, because you can get a fine which is unlimited and worse you’ll be banned from driving a vehicle and get up to eight penalty points.
Another point you should consider in your life as a learner driver is the recording of all your practice driving. In our era of computerisation, you can download a certain form in order to record any practice driving you have done. Do the recording without the presence of your driving instructor.
The using of “L” and “P” plates is vital for your learning to drive. So, you must put an “L” plate on the back and front of your car so they could be seen easily by the other road users. In Wales, you can instead use a “D” plate. And be informed that an “L” plate or “D” plate must: (1.) have a red “L” or “D” on a white background, and it should be in the right size.
Remember that you can get up to six penalty points when you’re caught by the police not displaying the “L” plates or when your “L” plates is not in the right size. Then, you must take the “L” plates off your car when it is not being used by a learner driver.
Displaying “P” plates is also important. So, you can display your green “probationary” or “P” plates in order to inform or show to the other road users that you have just passed your driving test. But, it’s not a compulsory requirement for you to display them. You can leave them displayed on your car for as long as you like them to be there.