Over 2 million drivers risk being forced off the road

Motorists are being urged to check their licence as soon as possible, with an upcoming milestone meaning 2.5 million could be forced off the roads.

 

Latest figures from the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) indicate that huge numbers of driving licences will expire before Wednesday, August 31, 2022.

This equates to just over 6% of the total 40,666,276 licences currently in operation, being set to expire.

Bodies are urging motorists to check and renew their licences where necessary, including Head of Co-op Motor Insurance, Paul Evans, issuing advice on how to renew your licence.

Evans said "we’re urging motor vehicle owners to check the expiration date on their driving licence and if it’s due to expire within the next month, to start the renewal process as soon as possible.”

He continued, reminding us that “due to last year’s national lockdown, motorists with driving licences which expired between February and December received an automatic 11-month extension to renew their licence… however, over 450,000 motorists whose driving licence expired between September 2020 and August 2021 need to be sure they’ve definitely renewed, as they run the risk of facing a serious fine.

"We’re urging all drivers to check their licence and renew quickly if they need to."

As a reminder, driving licences can be renewed either online, by post, or in person at most Post Offices, and photocard driving licences must also be renewed every 10 years with a recent photo being used.

Should a motorist be caught driving without a licence, this is a legal offence in the UK and can result in 3-6 penalty points plus a fine of up to £1,000.

Furthermore, motorists should also be aware that not holding a valid driving licence could lead to an insurance claim being rejected; something to be even more mindful of as we start to see more traffic on the roads towards the end of the year.