Nearly a million drivers facing huge fines

Motorists around the UK have been urged to check their driving licences to avoid fines of up to £5,000.

Recent figures from the DVLA have shown that the driving licences of more than 926,000 people in Britain needed to be updated as of September 2022.

The stats account for over two per cent of British drivers, and even though the DVLA sends warnings to motorists whose licences are due to expire a few months before, figures from the last 12 months state that 2.5 million people only renewed it after it had expired or within 56 days of the expiry date.

Those who continue to use their expired licences could be at risk of prosecution by the police leading to fines of up to £5,000. Drivers are also at risk of a fine of up to £1,000 if they fail to return an expired licence.

Tim Alcock, from LeaseCar, said: “I urge all drivers to check if their driving licence photocard is up to date to avoid these hefty fines. Financially, times are tough for many people, so motorists must be aware of any catastrophic extra costs they could face if their cars are not road legal.

“You should not be driving if your licence has expired, and I recommend renewing it two months before it expires to be safe.”