Do you own a modified car? How would losing your licence affect you?

Modifying vehicles must be done to ensure that they remain in a safe and legal condition. If your vehicle is suspected of being unsafe you run the risk of having it seized and then examined by the police vehicle examiner.  

You may no longer be looking at a Road Traffic Act offence where you could receive a roadside fine and points on your driving licence, but a criminal conviction for Dangerous Driving and period of disqualification from driving. 

The legislation is simple. The offence of Dangerous Driving is clear in that 'a person is also to be regarded as driving dangerously, if it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving the vehicle in its current state would be dangerous'. 

Modifications such as tampering with ABS braking systems, internal routing of fuel lines, excessive tyre stretch and modifications to the suspension could all contribute to making the vehicle dangerous. Make sure that what you are doing is legal and safe! 

Officers from the Alliance Roads Policing and No Excuses Team for Devon and Cornwall Police have come across such vehicles this year and two examples are: 

A man from Helston was fined £350 plus victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £85.

Another man from Porthleven was fined £270 plus a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £160

Both were disqualified from driving for 12 months with an extended re-test in order to get their licences back.