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There are hundreds of Facebook groups set up for organising lifts in UK towns and cities, where people offer a ride home to others in the local area for often a cheaper price than a cab. However, giving lifts for money can be illegal, whether drivers know the person or not.
With that in mind, James Armstrong, the CEO of temporary car insurance company Veygo, has issued a warning to drivers and partygoers this holiday season and explained the potential consequences of offering a ride for money.
Mr Armostrong said: “Under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, so-called ‘taxi touting’, where an unlicensed vehicle is used as a taxi in a public place to carry passengers in exchange for money, is illegal.
“If you’re caught by the police, it’s considered a Level 4 offence and you could be fined £2,500 if found guilty.
“This would apply to any driver who is essentially using their private vehicle as a taxi service, making a profit, and not having the required taxi licenses.
“In the case of offering the occasional lift to help people you know to get home, you need to be aware of the Public Passenger Vehicle Act (1981 Section 1(4) which outlines the rules that govern car sharing.
“For the lift to be legal, it must be organised in advance and the money you take from passengers should never be more than the running costs, such as fuel.
“To make sure you aren’t profiting from your act of kindness, you can use ride-sharing apps like Liftshare to calculate the suggested price per passenger of the journey.
“This considers the mileage of your trip and uses the HM Revenue and Customs Approved Mileage Payment Allowance.
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“If you’re found guilty of making a profit from lifts in an unlicensed car or van, you could also invalidate your insurance and be liable for the costs of repair and legal fees if you are involved in an accident.
“According to the Association of British Insurers, your insurance cover will not be affected if your passengers contribute towards your journey costs (including fuel, vehicle depreciation and associated vehicle running costs), as long as lifts are given in a vehicle seating eight passengers or less.
“It does, however, recommend that if you are part of a car or ride-sharing scheme – such as Liftshare, BlaBlaCar, GoCarShare, Jambuster, and Skoot – and offer lifts regularly, you check the terms and conditions carefully and speak to your insurer to check you have the right level of cover.
“It’s also important to consider your safety when giving or accepting lifts from people you don’t know that well or at all.
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“If you call or hail a licensed taxi, you can be confident that they have passed stringent checks and undergone criminal history checks.
“However, if you get put in touch with a friend of a friend over WhatsApp or reply to an offer for a lift in a Facebook group, you may be putting your safety at risk.
“So, always stop and think before you decide about a lift and if in doubt, organise a way of getting home with a licensed taxi driver or someone you know and trust.”
Drivers are also being urged to pay extra attention to their tyres when driving this Christmas.
In cold weather, tyres lose their pressure much more quickly. According to the highway code penalty table, drivers could be fined £2,500 and handed three points for careless driving.
This means if motorists are found to be driving their vehicle in a dangerous condition by letting their tyres go below pressure regulations and legal tread depth rules, they could get a fine for each tyre that fails.
Will Bullen, automotive expert at Car Lease Special Offers advised that in the winter months, drivers should check their tyre pressure once a week or they could face a hefty fine.
He added: “If all four tyres fail, you could be looking at a £10,000 fine and 12 points on your license.”
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