Got my little finger in a cast. Can I still drive?

TylerDurden36

Grumpy_chap said:

TylerDurden36 said:

Hi all. Last weekend I broke the bone just below the knuckle on my little finger. I have it in a cast which has cast my little finger and the finger next to it together.
Just wondering if legally I can drive my car? 

What did the Dr say who fixed you up?  They are normally quite helpful with such advice and more reliable than strangers on a forum looking at a photo.

Nothing. Never said anything about driving. From what I can gather I think I’d be fine driving unless I was in an accident then it would be deemed that I wasn’t in control of the vehicle so I’d be liable. Can’t take the risk on a “don’t know” so I’ll just have to endure 5 weeks of not driving.

Alter_ego

TylerDurden36 said:

Just to update it’s on my right hand. 

Are you sure? Photos appear to show the left

TylerDurden36

JGB1955 said:

Speak to your insurance company.  My husband broke his wrist snowboarding in the French Alps.  Our car was 'stuck' in a carpark at Ashford International station. Having got the snow train back, he was good to go according to the insurance company - his plastered left hand fitted neatly above the gear stick.  Good job, as I wouldn't have wanted to drive it out of the 'safe but small' spot he'd chosen to park i in!  He carried on driving (with insurance company approval) for the next 8 weeks.

I’ll give them a call but I’m pretty certain that as if I was involved in an accident that I’d be liable because they would say I wasn’t in full control of the vehicle. Even a extra observant by the book copper would probably pull me and book for not being in full control of the car. Just not worth the risk for the sake of 5 weeks off the road. 

TylerDurden36

Alter_ego said:

TylerDurden36 said:

Just to update it’s on my right hand. 

Are you sure? Photos appear to show the left

Photo is taken in the mirror. lol 

Grumpy_chap

TylerDurden36 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

TylerDurden36 said:

Hi all. Last weekend I broke the bone just below the knuckle on my little finger. I have it in a cast which has cast my little finger and the finger next to it together.
Just wondering if legally I can drive my car? 

What did the Dr say who fixed you up?  They are normally quite helpful with such advice and more reliable than strangers on a forum looking at a photo.

Nothing. Never said anything about driving. From what I can gather I think I’d be fine driving unless I was in an accident then it would be deemed that I wasn’t in control of the vehicle so I’d be liable. Can’t take the risk on a “don’t know” so I’ll just have to endure 5 weeks of not driving.

Did you ask?

Aretnap

It's an urban myth that this sort of thing would invalidate your insurance. Or at least, I've never seen a policy that would be invalidated by driving with a cast on, even if your doctor had explicitly advised you not to drive. The trick is to look for the line in the policy documents which says "you are not covered if you drive with a cast on" (or something to that effect). If it isn't there, then it means that it's not excluded.

Of course that doesn't mean that driving would be sensible, safe or even legal. Your insurance will also cover you if you drive too fast, pull out of a junction without looking, drive while using your phone, or (usually) even if you drive drunk. None of those things are sensible or legal either.

You could be stopped and ticketed for "not being in a position to have proper control of the vehicle" (3 points and £100). You might argue that you were in a position to have proper control, but how confident would you be having that argument? On the strength of what you've said in the thread, probably not very. And if you had an accident then there'd potentially be careless driving, or worse.

Bottom line: if you're not confident that you can control the car safely, including when something unexpected happens, don't drive. 

TylerDurden36

Aretnap said:

It's an urban myth that this sort of thing would invalidate your insurance. Or at least, I've never seen a policy that would be invalidated by driving with a cast on, even if your doctor had explicitly advised you not to drive. The trick is to look for the line in the policy documents which says "you are not covered if you drive with a cast on" (or something to that effect). If it isn't there, then it means that it's not excluded.

Of course that doesn't mean that driving would be sensible, safe or even legal. Your insurance will also cover you if you drive too fast, pull out of a junction without looking, drive while using your phone, or (usually) even if you drive drunk. None of those things are sensible or legal either.

You could be stopped and ticketed for "not being in a position to have proper control of the vehicle" (3 points and £100). You might argue that you were in a position to have proper control, but how confident would you be having that argument? On the strength of what you've said in the thread, probably not very. And if you had an accident then there'd potentially be careless driving, or worse.

Bottom line: if you're not confident that you can control the car safely, including when something unexpected happens, don't drive. 

From what I’ve read from various sources nobody has a definitive answer. When I’m doubt just don’t do it. Not risking points or worse just for the sake of being off the road for 5 weeks.

TylerDurden36

Grumpy_chap said:

TylerDurden36 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

TylerDurden36 said:

Hi all. Last weekend I broke the bone just below the knuckle on my little finger. I have it in a cast which has cast my little finger and the finger next to it together.
Just wondering if legally I can drive my car? 

What did the Dr say who fixed you up?  They are normally quite helpful with such advice and more reliable than strangers on a forum looking at a photo.

Nothing. Never said anything about driving. From what I can gather I think I’d be fine driving unless I was in an accident then it would be deemed that I wasn’t in control of the vehicle so I’d be liable. Can’t take the risk on a “don’t know” so I’ll just have to endure 5 weeks of not driving.

Did you ask?

I was high as a kite on the Penthrox they gave me when they adjusted the break before putting the cast on so I just never thought to ask!

Herzlos

You probably *could*, but I wouldn't recommend it. It'll probably be fine most of the time but with the reduced grip/flexibility I wouldn't have much confidence in being able to drive safely.

justworriedabit

Grumpy_chap said:

TylerDurden36 said:

Hi all. Last weekend I broke the bone just below the knuckle on my little finger. I have it in a cast which has cast my little finger and the finger next to it together.
Just wondering if legally I can drive my car? 

What did the Dr say who fixed you up?  They are normally quite helpful with such advice and more reliable than strangers on a forum looking at a photo.

A doctor is not a driving expert nor is a doctor a physiotherapist so why would a "doctor" know?

OP. It is unsafe looking at your pic. You do not have the dexterity, you can't have with that much plaster.

If you are drivivng an automatic, even then i'd say no but a big 100% no no for a manual.

Seek advice from DVLA, give them a call and they will advise.

HTH