Brits only just realising they could be slapped with a £2,500 fine for swapping drivers on long road trips
BRITS have been warned that they risk a £2,500 fine if they swap drivers on long road trips.
Motorists have been urged to split up journeys into more manageable chunks, but letting someone else get behind the wheel to stay on the road could land you in hot water.
Official advice is to take a 45-minute break for every 90 minutes you drive.
However, when travelling in a group it may be tempting to divide the trip equally so that you can each have a rest without stalling your progress.
Experts from Hippo Leasing have implored drivers not to give into the urge as they could find themselves on the wrong side of the law thanks to insurance rules.
A common assumption might be that as long as all the people tackling the journey are insured then all is well.
But things are actually a little bit more complicated than that.
In order to head out on the road each driver must be insured to pilot the specific vehicle they wish to use.
If you’re travelling with a group of friends, it doesn’t matter if each of them is insured to drive their own car if they aren’t on your policy.
Failure to comply with these rules could see you handed a £2,500 fine if you’re pulled over.
You could also be slapped with eight penalty points on your licence, leaving you nearly two-thirds of the way to the 12 needed for a driving ban.
If you’ve got any low-level offences already on your record, this would mean losing your licence for at least six months.
A spokesperson for Hippo Leasing said: “If the car journey is a long one it’s not uncommon for two people to share the driving load, swapping halfway between the destination to give each other a break.
“If both drivers are insured to drive the car this is perfectly legal, however, if not this could land you with a £2,500 fine and six to eight points on your license.
“So, before agreeing to share the driving responsibilities, ensure they’re included on your insurance first.”
However, there are a couple of loopholes that could mean you avoid the charge.
First of all, you can pay a little extra for temporary insurance.
This covers the driver you wish to split the journey with for as little as an hour all the way up to a month.
And if you don’t fancy paying out for that, you can always make sure their insurance policy contains a Driving Other Cars (DOC) clause.
This lets a motorist drive any other vehicle in the same licence category.
Just be aware that this only includes third-party cover even if their own policy is comprehensive.
DOCs are also not always included, even in comprehensive cover, so make sure to have one written in next time you renew.
It comes after a new study revealed the UK areas where drivers can be charged up to £250 to park outside their own homes.