Learner Drivers Driving Alone – Don’t Be Fooled By TikTok Nonsense

Recently, TikTok has morphed into an unofficial Driving School often run by Content Creators who are themselves teenage learner drivers. This is a problem – Here’s why.

Learner Drivers driving alone

Don’t Be Fooled By TikTok Nonsense like it’s ok for learner drivers driving alone. Hashtags such as #DrivingHacks, #LearnerDriver or  #DrivingTestTips rack up millions of hits. Short, direct videos offering ‘advice’ based on personal experiences instead of real knowledge have gone viral on TikTok claiming all sorts of stuff. One of the most harmful and dangerous tips or hacks is that learner drivers can drive to lessons or test centres without a supervising driver. These videos are not only misguided, but they are also offering dangerous and deluded advice that could lose a learner their licence, car and plenty of money. Here we explain the law and requirements in Great Britain – that’s England, Wales and Scotland.

Learner Drivers driving alone

The Law and requirements in England, Wales, and Scotland,

Supervision Requirements:

If you hold a provisional licence in Great Britain:

  • The supervisor must be at least 21 years old
  • The supervisor must be qualified to drive the type of vehicle the learner is driving – for example, the supervisor must have a manual car licence if they are supervising someone in a manual car
  • The supervisor must have had a full driving licence for at least 3 years (from the UK, the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein)
  • The supervisor must not be currently banned from driving
  • It’s illegal to accept any payment, including money for fuel, when supervising someone who’s learning to drive.
  • The supervisor must know and be able to apply all the rules in The Highway Code to supervise a learner. It’s regularly updated, so be sure to check for any recent changes.

Car insurance

If the learner will be driving the supervising driver’s car, they must either:

  • be added to the supervisor’s insurance policy as a ‘named driver’ – their no claims discount could be affected if they need to make a claim.
  • take out learner driver insurance to cover them driving the supervisor’s car – the supervisor should check with the provider if any claims they make will affect the supervisor’s no claims discount

If the learner wants to use their own car, they must:

  • be the registered keeper
  • have their own insurance policy covering them as a learner driver

Some insurance companies require the person supervising a learner driver to be over 25 years old. Check the insurance policy before the learner drives with the supervisor.

A learner driver can get an unlimited fine, a driving ban and up to 8 penalty points if they drive without insurance.

Motorways

Learners must not go on motorways – learner drivers can only drive on motorways with an approved driving instructor (ADI) in a car fitted with dual controls. Family and friends cannot supervise on motorways.

Penalties

If caught, learner drivers driving alone can expect 6 penalty points, a possible revocation of the learner’s driving licence, and a fine of up to £1000.

TikTok Nonsense that must be disregarded

Remember – Don’t Be Fooled By TikTok Nonsense

TikTok Nonsense – “Friends and family can supervise learners on motorways”

Truth – See above – only a qualified ADI can supervise a learner in a dual controlled car

TikTok Nonsense – “A learner’s instructor can give them permission to drive alone”

Truth – No such permission exists. Learners are not allowed to drive alone under any circumstances in Great Britain

TikTok Nonsense – “A learner can drive unaccompanied to meet their instructor for a driving lesson”

Truth – Again – Learners are not allowed to drive alone under any circumstances in Great Britain

TikTok Nonsense – “A learner can drive alone to a driving test because the examiner will be the supervisor”

Truth – Firstly the Driving Examiner is not ever the ‘supervisor’ on a test, but an observer. During the test the candidate is actually driving unsupervised. Technically the examiner doesn’t even have to intervene to avoid a collision if they don’t want to, unlike an ADI. However, the learner CANNOT drive unaccompanied TO the test and cannot drive unaccompanied AWAY afterwards if they fail for the same reasons given before

Conclusion

  • Make sure L Plates are correctly displayed
  • Ensure sure the supervisor is legal
  • Make sure the car is insured correctly
  • Get advice from the right places such as a driving instructor or gov.uk. Try to avoid the temptation to use social media as a driving school, as much of the information it provides is plainly wrong, or even if it was once correct, it is often outdated or applies to a different jurisdiction.