[NIP Wizard] Help needed - permitting to drive without insurance Options

[Hertfordly]

NIP Details and Circumstances
What is the name of the Constabulary? -
Date of the offence: - September 2020
Date of the NIP: - 5 days after the offence
Date you received the NIP: - 7 days after the offence
Location of offence (exact location as it appears on the NIP: important): - m25-4923A
Was the NIP addressed to you? -
Was the NIP sent by first class post, second class or recorded delivery? - Not known
If your are not the Registered Keeper, what is your relationship to the vehicle? -
How many current points do you have? - 0
Provide a description of events (if you know what happened) telling us as much about the incident as possible - some things that may seem trivial to you may be important, so don't leave anything out. Please do not post personal details for obvious reasons -

I'm in a difficult situation and would really appreciate some help. I'm really quite worried about what might happen.

I let a person I had recently met drive my car. The car was caught speeding at 76mph in a temporary 60mpg zone on the m25 at midnight, signaled by smart motorway type lights.

I received a NIP so I filled it in as far as I could with the drivers name, phone number and town. I also included a short covering letter explaining that I had met someone in the hotel I had been staying in for 9 nights due to work. As this person lived in the next town along I agreed to help this person get most of their way home on the condition they drove. It would save him taxi money and Id get some much needed rest. He had 3rd party cover for all cars.

I only had this persons name and phone number. I intended to stay in touch but after receiving the NIP I called his number to find out it wasn't a registered number. I know the town he lives in but no more.

Surrey Police have asked for the exact circumstances which led to him driving the car, including what insurance was held. They will then decide what action to take.

I'm aware the penalty for permitting someone to drive without insurance is worse than my speeding fine. I fear Surrey Police are going to take this route and I don't know what to do about it. Do they really expect car owners to keep evidence of insurance for anyone that drives their car?

I've let several people drive my cars in the past, I've taken their word for it that they have 3rd party insurance as I trusted them.

Another concern is that I realise they may feel I'm lieing about the entire thing, the penalty for which can be prision.

Any help or advice is very much appreciated.

NIP Wizard Responses
These were the responses used by the Wizard to arrive at its recommendation:
Have you received a NIP? - Yes
Are you the Registered Keeper of the vehicle concerned (is your name and address on the V5/V5C)? - Yes
Did the first NIP arrive within 14 days? - Yes
Although you are the Registered Keeper, were you also the keeper of the vehicle concerned (the person normally responsible for it) at the time of the alleged offence? - Yes
Were you driving? - No
Do you know who was driving? - Yes

NIP Wizard Recommendation
Based on these responses the Wizard suggested that this course of action should be considered:

• If you can show that after reasonable diligence you have been unable to determine the identity of the driver, you will not be guilty of S172 failure to provide.

Generated by the PePiPoo NIP Wizard v3.3.2: Wed, 07 Oct 2020 10:47:24 +0000

This post has been edited by Hertfordly: Wed, 7 Oct 2020 - 12:44

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[Hertfordly]

I stated I had provided every piece of information I had and was unable to gather more due to data restrictions.

Did you point out to them that while you may be unable to obtain further data, as they're the police they might have better luck?

I ask because if they later try and prosecute you, one obvious question to put to them is how far they went to verify the information you gave them.

I didn't directly ask them as I didn't want to irritate them in any way. I'll keep your point in mind should anything further arise from this though, thank you.