Accompanying a learner driver

InsomniaCalls · 8 Aug 2007 at 21:35

Hi there.

My girlfriend is learning to drive.
She's insured on our car and wants to get some practice outside of lessons but will obviously need an accompanying driver.
I only passed my test around a year ago so legally I can't be the accompanying driver.
The correct thing to do will obviously be to try and find a parent or something to get in the car at the same time.

Does the accompanying driver have to be insured on the car too?
Do they have to be in the front seat?

Hypothetically, If she was practicing bay parking for example in an empty car park and she was checked by the police with me as the accompanying driver, what would be the punishment?

Thanks

Muncher · 8 Aug 2007 at 21:38

No they don't need to be insured, yes they do need to be in the front seat.

laissez-faire · 8 Aug 2007 at 21:38

InsomniaCalls said:
Hi there.

My girlfriend is learning to drive.
She's insured on our car and wants to get some practice outside of lessons but will obviously need an accompanying driver.
I only passed my test around a year ago so legally I can't be the accompanying driver.
The correct thing to do will obviously be to try and find a parent or something to get in the car at the same time.

Does the accompanying driver have to be insured on the car too?
Do they have to be in the front seat?

Hypothetically, If she was practicing bay parking for example in an empty car park and she was checked by the police with me as the accompanying driver, what would be the punishment?

Thanks

The accompanying driver doesn't legally need to be insured, but SOME insurers have a clause that if a learner driver is driving a car that there needs to be another person in the car who is insured.

Legally in a car park the police couldn't do anything because 90% of car parks are private property and not governed by the Road Traffic Act.

ste_bla · 8 Aug 2007 at 21:40

LC20 Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence 3-6

Muncher · 8 Aug 2007 at 22:11

laissez-faire said:
Legally in a car park the police couldn't do anything because 90% of car parks are private property and not governed by the Road Traffic Act.

Not so, anywhere the public has free vehicular access to is governed by the road traffic act.

laissez-faire · 8 Aug 2007 at 22:45

Muncher said:
Not so, anywhere the public has free vehicular access to is governed by the road traffic act.

It is a big grey area - I genuinely do not believe anyone would be prosecuted in a car park in the circumstances described above.

andi · 8 Aug 2007 at 22:52

laissez-faire said:
It is a big grey area - I genuinely do not believe anyone would be prosecuted in a car park in the circumstances described above.

It isn't a grey area. If its open to the public, its covered under the RTA. A lad I went to school with was prosecuted for teaching his girlfriend to drive on a car park with no licence.

laissez-faire · 8 Aug 2007 at 23:16

andi said:
It isn't a grey area. If its open to the public, its covered under the RTA. A lad I went to school with was prosecuted for teaching his girlfriend to drive on a car park with no licence.

Was he teaching her to do handbrake turns?

InsomniaCalls · 8 Aug 2007 at 23:22

Cheers folks.

I won't take the risk and will get someone else in the car too.

BigglesPiP · 8 Aug 2007 at 23:54

Yes, they do have to be in the front seat, and yes, they do have to be physically and legally capable of driving the vehicle, insurance is needed.

Maccy · 9 Aug 2007 at 00:19

They do not need to be insured on the car, just have had at least 3 years driving experience.

BigglesPiP · 9 Aug 2007 at 00:27

it's 4 years, plus over 21 y/o.

al123 · 9 Aug 2007 at 00:30

BigglesPiP said:
it's 4 years, plus over 21 y/o.

DVLA said:
If you want to practise your driving with an accompanying driver, the accompanying driver must be over the age of 21 and must have held (and still hold) a full licence for three years.

BigglesPiP · 9 Aug 2007 at 00:33

oops, 4 years is for ADIs.