Driving without insurance query

[madhatter95]

Hi guys

I was stopped (England if that matters) a.few days ago for driving without insurance. I believed I was insured to drive at the time, being a named driver on the policy and it was my wife's car.

My wife recently purchased a new car, letting her insurance lapse at end of term. I understood this to be 22nd, turns out it was the 2nd. So, I was driving with no insurance. I appreciate there's no gray areas on this.

I obtained cover at the side of the road, enough to continue my journey. I was given a caution and a verbal notice of intended prosecution.

Expectation now would be a conditional offer, eg IN10, 6 points and £300 fine.

My question is on special reasons, and whether it's worth declining the offer and going to court

It looks to be quite a high cost to do this (£500 court costs, circa £1500 solicitor). Slim possibility of forgetting it ever happened and moving on with no points and no fine, so with the expectation that I'd probably receive a fine around the £1000 mark.

Would it be reasonable from court to expect the IN10+ points or a fine, or both? And then, potentially could my wife also be prosecuted for allowing someone to drive knowingly a vehicle that wasn't insured?

Thanks!

[HandyAndy]

Would it be reasonable from court to expect the IN10+ points or a fine, or both?

You would be sentenced under the normal sentencing guidelines which suggest (for a guilty plea) a fine of a week's ne income, a surcharge of 40% of that fine, prosecution costs of around £90 and 6 points. "Special Reasons" has little chance of success IMO.

And then, potentially could my wife also be prosecuted for allowing someone to drive knowingly a vehicle that wasn't insured?

Certainly possible, but unlikely.