Speeding ticket with SORN vehicle?

MummySarah

A friend was delivering his car to a garage for exchange. It had a valid MOT but had been declared SORN so had no tax because it had been off the road for 9 months prior to a garage agreeing to take it. Driving to the garage to drop it off, he got a speeding fine - letter has just arrived. 39mph in a 30 zone. What are the implications - will it just be a straight speeding fine or will there be more because it was SORN? He has insurance on another car so it was covered 3rd party for that.

scheming_gypsy

Getting done for no tax is the least of his worries.
He was driving a car with no insurance whilst thinking he was covered on the driving other cars, part of his other insurance policy. That covers other peoples cars, not your own.

MummySarah

Hi, a little more info. The car is registered to his Dad who died a year ago, hence him having the car and not using it but now selling it / trading it in

fivetide

MummySarah wrote: »

Hi, a little more info. The car is registered to his Dad who died a year ago, hence him having the car and not using it but now selling it / trading it in

Tell him to duck. He's about to have the book thrown at him.

Car has no insurance so chances are his 3rd party cover isn't valid so no insurance
Speeding 39 in a 30 so well over 40 on the speedo and he never noticed
No tax

At this point the lack of tax is the least of his worries. He's looking at 6 points minimum and that's if they only do him for no insurance.

scheming_gypsy

He may need to check his policy as a lot will only cover third party if already insured.

but driving whilst SORN'ed doesn't look too good - maximum fine of £5000 and the possibility of imprisonment.
http://www.drivingtesttips.biz/driving-without-tax.html
Although most sites just say a fine and having to pay back tax.

Norman_Castle

Presumably it was a speed camera. Are other checks done?.
Most insurers expect cars to be covered by their own insurance when being driven using the third party cover on insurance. The car also needs to be owned by someone else.

Gloomendoom

If the registered keeper is dead, who has a duty to re-register the car in somebody else's name? The executor of the deceased's estate?

Stooby2

MummySarah wrote: »

Hi, a little more info. The car is registered to his Dad who died a year ago, hence him having the car and not using it but now selling it / trading it in

It's going to be a bit involved, but on the face of it, he may not have insurance. If he was given the car in the will or, for example, by his mum, he therefore owns it and his insurance on his other car won't cover him as "driving other vehicles" refers to others cars not owned by the policyholder.

If it belongs to the estate or someone else in the family still, then he might be covered. He's going to have to show who owned the car when he was driving it and then show his own insurance covers him. And he needs proof of this in writing as he may well find himself explaining it to a court.

facade

Take this one over to peppipoo.

Point out that the registered keeper is deceased, so cannot be convicted of failing to identify the driver.

However, as pointed out, there is a whole can of worms over failing to inform the DVLA, not registering the car, no insurance, driving whilst SORNed (may be allowed if sold to the motor trade, if the garage actually owned the car when he was delivering it, his driving other cars insurance should work)

It may be better to keep a low profile and just take the fine, although there is no-one to sign the NIP

paddedjohn

I got caught a couple of months ago speeding in my daughters car, My daughter got the letter as registered keeper, filled in my details and I got an offer of fixed penalty or driver awareness course, I opted for the course and no one asked to see any proof ofinsurance or mot.You may get lucky and get away with just the speeding offence but there is a possibility that the SORN may flag up somewhere.

Quentin

If he got a letter addressed to him then it looks like he is the registered keeper as that is who they first write to.

When you get a speeding ticket they don't normally ask for your insurance details.