learner driver insurance

[Liza B]

My daughter is learning to drive, she is a named driver on her boyfriends insurance policy. He has had a full licence for a year and he is 21 years old.
Can I sit with her while she is driving his car as a full licence holder?
I do not currently have my own insurance policy.

Cheers

liza

[NORMANTHEDOG]

yes,you can as long as you have a full driving licence,you dont need any insurance,the car is already insured for her use.

[Fitzer]

Not too sure about that Norman; taken from CAB website "The police have the power to require the supervisor of a learner driver to produce their licence and certificate of insurance." So Liza would have to be insured on her daughter's boyfriend's car as well. Certainly worth checking out first.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

im pretty sure i am right,as my wife sat with our kids and she was not insured on the vehicle,if im wrong,iv broke the law.

[Liza B]

Going with the reply from Fitzer, would I be okay once I have insurance on my husbands car, would I then be able to sit with her or would I have to be insured on her boyfriends car?
Due to an acident that was not my fault our car has been written off and did not get a good price for it, so we are saving for a few months so we can get a decent car, so we do not have insuranceat the moment.

cheers

[Fitzer]

I would think that you would have to be insured for the vehicle you are in but I don't KNOW for sure. I would get advice from your local police station or the CAB. I found this site http://www.helpingldrivers.com/law/supervisor. htm that says you must be insured for the vehicle. Hope you get it sorted. Norman, if it turns out that you've broken the law we'll send you a cake with a file in it so you can bust out of Parkhurst :-)

[BenDToy]

Every source I find seems to confirm what Fitzer says. The law can be summed up by saying that the supervising driver is subject to the same laws as if (s)he were driving the car eg it is illegal to be drunk, to use a hand held mobile phone, or to be uninsured. They must be able to take control of the car if required.
Isn't it hilarious that Norman (or at least his wife) is guilty of the same offence on which he issues numerous rants to other people.
Here are a few of his comments on this subject; "there is no excuse" "people like you should be banned for 10 years" "no insurance is one of the worst things you could do" "no insurance, no licence for LIFE, and car confiscated, no get-outs".
For the record, i actually agree with him in principle, but perhaps he regrets making some of these statements now. Will you be handing yourself in??

[Ethel]

Yes, the supervising passenger must be insured. In the event of the learner getting into difficulties the supervisor must be able to take control of the vehicle.

[Liza B]

thank you for all your replies, I just hate it when my husband is right.

I went on the helping L drivers site, so glad I asked, got some good tips from the site as well.

I will have to wait untill she passes her test, hopefully not many more lessons to go she has already had 10. Not sure if I want to get in a car with my daughter driving, will seem a bit strange for a while. I could always get put on her boyfriends car, though driving a manual after 7 years with an automatic would take a bit of getting used to. Might need some re-fresher lessons myself.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

bendtoy,it was 10 yrs ago that im talking about,not last week,all my kids were taught by their mum,and in those days,im pretty sure it was legal,now maybe it is different,and as we have had a motor traders policy for 30 yrs,i think we were more then covered.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

ethel,explain to me how the person supervising,can take control of the vehicle,now dont think im having a dig,but what a stupid way of putting it by the rules of driving etc,(not you) surely these people who make up the rules,should know,unless its dual controlled,the only control you have really is the handbrake and yanking the steering wheel,to one side,thats not control,is it.

[Ethel]

Norman - imagine the possibles.

Learner has a panic attack and is unable to continue. Stopped in the middle of a busy dual carriageway.

Learner is unable to manoeuvre out of a tight spot.

Learner stalls at the lights. Gets upset and leaves the car.

These are just some examples where the supervisor needs to be able to control the vehicle on a highway. And all of these instances do happen.

The law is very clear about it - the supervisor has the same legal requirements and responsibilities as if he were the driver.

http://www.helpingldrivers.com/law/supervisor. htm

[NORMANTHEDOG]

yes i know Ethel,but other then the car being duall controlled moving along, there is little a supervisor can do.

[BenDToy]

The supervisor must be able to take over control of the car. Has it occurred to you Norman that the driver and supervisor could achieve that result just by CHANGING SEATS? Sorry if I sound patronising, but you do seem to have rather missed the point here. (right Ethel?)
Also on my previous post, I don't think your answer changes things. I am trying to make the point that it is not always as clear cut as you previously seemed to think. Your wife was almost certainly guilty of the offence for which you say "there are no excuses". The rules were the same 10 years ago, and 20 and 30 (except of course for the mobile phone bit ;-)

[tigwig]

Oooooh! Whats this? Slag off Norm day?

[g_fort90]

Tigwig not joining in the slagging off!?

Shocking!