Free Traffic Legal Advice
Live cases legal advice => Speeding and other criminal offences => Topic started by: Ballyboro on January 30, 2024, 11:48:19 am
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As above, I suspect a solicitor's fee is beyond your means (could easily be north of £1200) for a case that is most likely to be lost - therefore court fees, victim surcharge etc on top of the fine. So, you're staring at over £2k potentially.
Take the 6 points and (hopefully) fixed penalty is the practical solution as your defence only has a tiny, tiny (aka zero) chance of success.
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To ad, Insurers don't like drivers with convictions from driving while uninsured (for what should be obvious reasons) and you can expect your premium to roughly double in the first year reducing to a circa 20% increase in the fifth year after conviction. The financial penalty from the fixed penalty or fine will likely pale into insignificance by comparison.
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A trader's policy usually only covers vehicles which are being used in connection with his business. Once the car was sold to you insuring it became your responsibility, so I'm afraid it looks as though you are banged to rights.
A solicitor is unlikely to be able to help. No insurance is a "strict liability" offence. That means you either have insurance or you don't and it is your responsibility to make sure you have. From your description you simply made an assumption that you remained covered. By "Special Measures" I imagine you mean "Special Reasons" (not to endorse your licence). Once again there is no chance of a court finding that, whoever you employ to defend you. You may be offered a fixed penalty for the offence (£300 and six points) but whether it's dealt with that way or in court (where the financial penalty will be much higher) six points is the inevitable outcome.
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I have insurance on a car which broke and I bought another from a garage who had it on a trade policy. I paid for the car and said I would collect documents as recently became homeless and living in car. Assumed it was still insured and I would change when my policy came due 3/2. Got stopped by police Friday who gave me 7 days to produce. Went to garage and they have posted vehicle docs to old address and car no longer on trade policy. I know it’s my fault but have had lots of stress. Is it worth paying a solicitor to help with special measures.