Do you carry your documents with you?

[Brum1]

I don't carry mine as it was always understood that I could present Insurance, MOT and Licence to a police station within 5 days.

Has the law change placing an obligation on the driver to carry documents?

Anyone in the know?

Brum

 

[smiley]

As far as I'm aware you don't have to carry documents with you, but you must be able to produce any documents requested.

The only time we carry car, driving documents is out of the country which is a legal requirement.

 

[Dave_374330759]

You don't have to carry them, but it's easier to get it over and done with rather than having to go home and then scuttling off to the local nick (assuming that you've got a local nick - we haven't. What happens if you are away for a fortnight or more? - you have to produce the documents within 7 days - bit of a ****** if you have to curtail the holiday just to go home and get them.

 

[Gumbo]

Would a photo copy be ok, say in France or Germany ???

 

[RogerL]

I always carry driving licence and insurance certificate with me but V5 and MOT stay at home.

I hadn't occurred to me that and extended tour would prevent me getting home to get the MOT - when it becomes due I think I'll have that with me as well.

 

[joeby]

why do we need to carry them ,according to the traffic police programs on the tv , they can tell if the car is taxed ,insured ,and has an MOT ,then when they question the driver they can tell if he has a valid licence ,so whats the point ,and with todays latest technology whats to stop them taking a mug shot and sending it straight to the DVLA ,

 

[SteveW77]

Hi Gumbo,

The French authorities require you to carry the original documents. Logbook, MOT certificate and insurance certificate. Photocopies are not acceptable.

Steve W

 

[Lutz]

The same applies to Germany (except for the insurance certificate, which is not required). However, you must able to give details of the insurance company and the policy number.

You must also carry personal identification (passport) with you.

 

[KnL]

Brum,

The only document I carry on a regular basis is my plastic driving licence and that is only because it conveniently fits into my wallet.

It has always been an offence not to be able to produce your

documents on request, however it is not a legal requirement to carry them, therfore the Police will allow 7 clear days ie. commencing at midnight on the day of the request, for the documents to be presented at a suitable Police Station.

The Police do have access to driver licence, insurance and MOT databases and will normally use these to check a persons status at the roadside, rather than inconvenience them, however as with all systems, they are only as good as the information input, not all insurance companies subscribe and are not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.

Thus, there will still be instances where "producers" will be used and the 7 day rule applies.

If however, a genuine motorist on holiday has forgotten to take their licence away and can't produce in that time period, the cop can mark the paperwork up to that effect and give a longer period of time before raising a summons to court.

If you are away from home for longer periods, the onus remains with the driver to be able to produce the documents, so it would make sense to carry the original documents with you or at least have a system of being able to get the documents sent to you, as the licence especially has to be produced in person.

Visitors from abroad will be required to produce original documentation at the roadside or risk being arrested and taken to a Police station, where enquiries will be made back with the home country, and this could require a lengthy stay if the relevant Foreign departments are closed for the night,

Ken.

 

[Lutz]

When travelling abroad with a car that is not your own such as a company car or a leased vehicle, you can save yourself a lot of hassle if you also carry some sort of confirmation of entitlement.

 

[joeby]

i personally allways carry all my documents when travelling abroad , including breakdown cover and medical insurance

 

[smiley]

Although photocopies are not excepted, it is advisable to copy them jsut in case as you have all the details to shuld anything happen to your original (say stolen). Passport included.

When at the passport office in Peterborough on Tuesday met a man who had not bought his expired passport with him he (ex wife said she couldn't find it) had to drive all the way back to Northampton to get bills etc. But had he logged his number or had a photcopy they could have checked him instantly.