Six costly motoring mistakes

Make sure you steer clear of these pricey car calamities...

Show me yours and I’ll show you mine: the driving licence pact, sworn anytime a form of passport photo emblazoned ID is produced among curious company.

And if you, like me, were sporting an atrocious hair style reminiscent of pop plebs Hanson at your 17th birthday then it is a pact you’ve no doubt come to fear.

But mild embarrassment isn’t the only quandary a dated driving licence photo could land you in.

Outdated photo fines

Over 1.6 million drivers could be risking a £1,000 fine because the photograph on their driving licence has expired. Sainsbury’s car insurance discovered this costly stat using a Freedom of Information request. Further research revealed that another 2.9 million licenses are due for renewal by the end of the year.

But despite these large figures, 41% of motorists are unaware as to the consequences of failing to update their licence. Old-style paper licences are unaffected.

Driving licence photographs must be updated every ten years at a cost of £20 through the DirectGov website or at the Post Office. Failure to comply with this could land you with a £1,000 fine enforced under Section 99 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. However this will not impact your car insurance.

So if you haven’t updated your photo in a while take a look at the ‘valid to’ date on your photocard and check it hasn’t already expired.

And while you’re at it, here are five more costly motoring mistakes you need to steer clear of...

Eye tests

Figures from the insurer Swinton show that 90% of motorists have gone four or more years without having their vision checked. This is a dangerous and potentially costly stat.

On a basic level, if your eyesight is starting to tire without your direct knowledge, you’re boosting the risk of having an accident. But in addition, by not getting your vision tested regularly you could also end up inadvertently breaking the law.

The DVLA requires drivers to be able to read a new-style number plate from 20 metres (20.5 for the old style). If you have difficulty doing this unaided or with the help of glasses or contact lenses, you’re breaking the law and could have your licence revoked.

And this mistake gets even more costly when you consider that it could also invalidate your car insurance policy. So if you’ve gone a year or two without visiting the optician, book yourself in for an eye test now!

Fronting a young driver

Young motorists are hit hard in the wallet when it comes to car insurance premiums. But ‘fronting’ a policy for a driver of tender years is not the answer. In fact, it could land you with an even bigger bill.

Fronting is when an older driver (often a parent) insures a younger driver’s vehicle (often their son or daughter) under their name, and then adds the child to the policy, even though in reality the child is the primary driver. This can shave hundreds of pounds off premiums. However it’s completely illegal and classed as fraud.

If you’re found to be fronting a policy the car insurer can void your policy and even look to recover additional costs directly from you.

Previous convictions

Forgetting to mention previous motoring convictions or insurance claims when taking out a new policy will usually result in cheaper quotes. However this is again classed as fraud. And if you’re found to be doing it, your insurer can void your policy and refuse to pay out.

Car insurers are very good at teasing out little white lies on policy applications, especially when a costly payout is on the cards. So whatever you do, don’t massage the truth.

Modifications

As with claims and convictions, modifications to your motor will probably up your premiums. This is due to the increased cost of repairing a souped up or altered car. So it may seem convenient to not tell your insurer about any add-ons. But again, take this route and you could find your car insurance voided under non-disclosure.

In fact, if you want to keep your premiums as low as possible, you really shouldn’t be tinkering with your car at all.

Not shopping around for your insurance

Loyalty and laziness when looking for car cover will push up your premiums considerably.

The best policy deals are usually only available to new customers. So make sure you shop around for a fresh contract every year. You can compare all the best premiums at lovemoney.com’s car insurance centre. And if your current provider can’t match the price you find– ditch them!

Save even more...

So there you have it, six costly mistakes to steer clear of when out on the roads this year. And for 25 more ways to cut your car insurance premiums take a look at this article.

More: Married women are worse drivers | Your car insurance isn’t as comprehensive as you think