Vehicle off the road - Requirement for a SORN
Hi all, I'm a newbie here but have already found the Forum a very valuable resource. My Mum (72) was formally diagnosed with AD last week. I was expecting it and she probably was too but a shock none-the-less.
It's been a pretty steep learning curve both before (for the past year or so) and after formal diagnosis. One thing that became clear was the problem/issue around driving and insurance.
Leaving out the emotional side, which I know is covered elsewhere in great detail, as we walked out of Milton Keynes Memory Clinic after the formal diagnosis, technically Mum no longer had valid insurance to cover her driving - the diagnosis of the condition invalidated her insurance policy, certainly for comprehensive cover (third party may still have been valid).
She needed to complete a CG1 Medical Fitness to Drive form and submit that to the Drivers' Medical Group of the DVLA for assessment. Personally I think she's fine to drive - early days, she's still very able and has been and still is a good and safe driver. Whether they revoke her licence or not we are waiting to see.
Coincidentally her current insurance was due to expire a few days after the diagnosis. Obviously it wasn't possible to take out another policy during this period of limbo. I thought we could just sit it out with the car off the public road in her driveway but uninsured. Apparently not. A car must either have valid road tax and valid insurance or must have a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN). Without valid tax & insurance or a SORN, it is illegal - whether it's on a public highway, in your drive or in pieces in your garage.
Fortunately the SORN is very simple to do online. You can also claim a rebate back on any of your un-used tax.
The DVLA's Motor Insurance Database now contains the insurance details of cars so they are theoretically flagged when a vehicle's tax or insurance lapses and can issue a notice to the owner. What the process is and what that notice might be (warning, fine, summons...?) I don't know but according to a few motoring forums I looked at (not something I have ever done before) when investigating this issue, it seems there really is no grace period or leeway.
I'm sure I could have explained the situation to the DVLA if they had contacted Mum after the event, but prevention is better than cure as they say.
Anyway, just thought I'd share what I have found out.