UK drivers not up to speed with necessary driving licence updates
Over two-fifths of UK drivers (44%) don’t know their driving licences must be renewed every 10 years, according to new research by Post Office 1. This confusion extends to nearly one-third not realising it is a necessary and legal requirement for driving licences to be updated following a name change (30%) or change of address (29%).
As a result, there is a lack of urgency amongst Britons regarding updating their driving licences, with many not well-versed on the repercussions of driving without up-to-date documentation. Without checking, over half (51%) don’t know when their driving licence expires, and, upon checking, one in ten (9%) people surveyed found theirs was out of date.
With over 33 million driving licences in the UK 2, this means almost three million people possess an out-of-date licence, of which there are serious repercussions. One in five (20%) people wrongly said a consequence of driving without an up-to-date licence is a fine of £250, but the reality is £1,000.
Not only do people need their driving licence to legally drive, but the research revealed over four in five (83%) people use it as a primary form of identification. This is led by the younger generation, with 16-24 year-olds using their licence to prove their identity on average eight times per month.
In fact, one in five (20%) use their driving licence to verify their ID more than they drive. The top five scenarios for using a driving licence to prove identity are:
- Picking up a parcel (54%)
- Hiring a car (41% in the UK and 35% abroad)
- Proving age to gain access to a bar (34%)
- Proving age to purchase products in a retail environment (34%)
- Starting a new job (27%)
There is clearly a demand for more support to be provided to guide the process of updating driving licences, with almost a third (29%) of people saying they would feel more confident if they were supported through the process.
