Licence checks reveal hidden past

Cooper Solutions has revealed that in the last 12 months over 62,000 driving licences it checked for dealers belonged to drivers whose credentials needed further validation.

Whilst some of these drivers were simply people who have had a licence for less than a year, many had three to nine points on their licence, or had even been disqualified.

Applauding those traders who have successfully adapted to the DVLA’s move to digital licence validation, Cooper Solutions is now urging all dealers to ensure they meet their duty of care obligations.

Dean Pipitone, director at Cooper Solutions explained, ‘Last year, the DVLA called time on the paper counterpart to the photo card driving licence. This means that any penalty points incurred by a driver after 8 June 2015 do not appear on the photo card driving licence or the paper licence; therefore these physical documents no longer provide a clear representation of any driving endorsements people may hold. If a dealer fails to carry out checks on a customer’s entitlement to drive, it may result in that individual driving a courtesy or test drive vehicle whilst uninsured.’

Vicky Charles, director of Cooke & Mason, a chartered insurance broker and the Cooper Solutions risk management and insurance partner, added, ‘The analysis by Cooper Solutions confirms that dealers who don’t conduct the necessary licence checks really do face a greater risk of falling foul of uninsured drivers.’

The business partners are reminding dealers that it is essential to ensure customers or agency drivers, including the spouse or partner of the driver if they intend to drive, hold a valid licence and are eligible to drive under the terms of the trader’s motor insurance.