Is the question about how one would handle now or as a reckless 15-year-old?
Asking for a friend.
Driving without a license is inherently risky behaviour.
Not for anyone except the driver, and that is legal risk not physical risk.
Given the facts in the OP (wherein we can assume we talking and about an experienced adult driver who’s passed their test and did have a driving license for many years). They are no more a risk to other road users as anyone else. Nothing in the OP suggests they are driving drunk or speeding.
Never been injured in an accident by an uninsured driver, eh?
A driver without a license is no more or less likely to injure you than one that does. They do not pose a risk to you.
Yeah, its not a good idea, and they are taking on a ton of potential liability (almost certainly more than they can afford) but that does not the same thing posing a risk to you. Hell, we all take on a ton of potential liability when we do lots of things. Owned a dog without insurance? A trampoline? Ridden a bike? Thats all potential liability, but I wouldn’t report you to the authorities for for it, if I was your friend.
Yeah, why would you be required to have a driver’s license to buy any random piece of personal property?
I suspect, given the limited details and the possible discrepancies between the claimed crime and punishment that the OP’s friend is shading the truth. No big deal, we all do it to a degree, and it doesn’t change my answer to the the question. Specifically, won’t ride with them, will suggest they take the steps to get license and insurance back.
The following link goes over steps to get a suspended license back on a per state basis.
Which @Dinsdale could make a guess at to determine if the steps were onerous on said friend, and why they may or may not be willing to do so. Not our business as it were. If I had to guess though . . . the friend may have a bench warrant out for their arrest from this incident or another (unpaid speeding ticket or any other number of non-serious issues) and is terrified if they try to get it back that they’ll end up in jail or with legal fees in excess of their means or the like. Note this is the same as what Dinsdale themselves has said and it fits the facts.
The alternate option, if they’re shading the truth, is they may have had an DUI or related charge, and be in a state that requires an interlock device - and we’ve had threads that indicate just how insanely expensive said devices are to install and keep certified (which may be out of date but…) - an expense they don’t want to put up with.
One way or another, something is fishy with the reasons behind the reluctance, and I still think said friend is one bad weather / distracted driving day from serious financial risk, but it’s up to the OP to make the judgement. They don’t want to push the friend, they already have their suspicions but don’t want to act on it. Not the choice I would make, but not my friend either.
But @Dinsdale, it might be worthwhile to send the link above to your friend so they can anonymously research what the have to do to get their license back - especially if it’s been decades, they may (depending on the legal issues) be past any statue of limitations and find it’s a much easier chore than expected. Don’t tell them what to do, but give them options.
Yeah, sure.
I’m pretty sure she would not be able to insure a car she owned, if she had no license. Or, at least, the insurance company would not cover the car if she were the driver - e.g. if an adult owned a car for a family member to drive.
I cannot imagine any insurance policy not requiring that any driver of the vehicle being insured.
As for the OP and spouse: oh, HELLS no. This person has shown shocking irresponsibility, and is frankly in violation of the law. Google “accidents involving uninsured drivers” and so on.
To be honest, I’d be tempted to a) end the friendship (since this person has proven she has no regard for safety or responsibility) and b) drop a dime on her to the DMV / police. There is zero, zero, ZERO excuse for her to not have rectified the situation.
Reading more of the thread, you do not wish to end the friendship. But honestly, someone needs to sit her down and say something blunt like “We love you. But you cannot continue doing this. We will not ride with you. You are endangering yourself and everyone in the car. If we go anywhere together, WE drive. Non-negotiable.”
I disagree.
Someone loses their license for doing something risky in a car. Generally for doing multiple risky things in a car. Such a person is likely not a very good driver.
The financial risk to the “friend” is significant - but also to any passengers. If the driver has an at-fault accident and the passenger is injured, they can go after the driver. If the driver has no insurance the driver has to pay (likely after litigation) and may not have the means.
The last time we bought a car, I think we did have to provide insurance info. The time before that, I don’t know that we did. And the time before THAT I know we did not. I don’t know that showing a license (or other ID, but we had our licenses) was specifically required for the purchase, but we had to dig them out to do the test drive.
A car purchased from a private seller would be a different matter.
But that won’t change if they if they get their license back. The act of driving without a license (versus doing whatever onerous paperwork is required to get it back and then driving) is not putting anyone at risk.
That’s a financial liability (and a good reason to not ride with them)
It’s not a good reason to inform on a friend to the authorities.
I certainly had to. I called my insurance company and asked them to take the insurance off Old Car A, and swap it over to New Car B (billing or refunding me any difference) as of [delivery date]. The insurance company made it easy; they e-mailed both me and the dealership proof of insurance for New Car B. Since the dealership had received proof of insurance, I could take delivery and drive New Car B off the lot. They were even nice enough to print it off and give me the copy, so I could drive until the paperwork came through from the insurance company. But the dealership absolutely would not let me leave with my new car until I could prove it was insured. Which happened, so no problem.
Tangential to the OP is somebody who has a license, but hasn’t driven in years. A local friend is about 40 years old, has a license, and obviously has operated a car, as he passed the road test. He keeps his license up by renewing it when necessary. But in the dozen or so years I’ve known him, he’s never owned a car, nor has he borrowed, rented, or even driven one. I don’t care if he’s got a license; he’s not driving me anywhere. He’s out of practice.
I agree with others that the supposed reason for losing the license is unlikely to be true.
In my state the penalty for being an unlicensed driver is relatively minor. If they lost their license for a violation and not just because it expired I suspect they are driving while suspended. That is a much more serious offense. If they are suspended does that change your opinion as to whether you would drive with them?
In my state and I suspect many others you don’t automatically become unsuspended. After your court ordered suspension period is over you have to take steps to restore your license. Until you do you are still suspended.
Looking online, some insurance companies do say it’s possible to get insurance one cars, even without a license, but they look at it more carefully.
However, I would be concerned that if the person were driving with a suspended license, they may not be that concerned about the insurance, either.
I would certainly not ride with them.
The OP said she hasn’t had a DL for a couple decades. I assume this means she hasn’t been pulled over in a couple decades, which would suggest she’s a good driver.
She should still be licensed, of course.
A few serious questions. (I am not being snarky. I seriously don’t know the answers.)
Let’s say I am a passenger in a vehicle, and my driver has a license and vehicle insurance. We get in a wreck, and I am hurt. If the driver of my vehicle is at fault, who pays for my medical bills? My driver’s insurance company?
Let’s say I am a passenger in a vehicle, and my driver does not have a license and thus does not vehicle insurance. We get in a wreck, and I am hurt. If the driver of my vehicle is at fault, who pays for my medical bills? Am I on the hook?
The risk is that, no matter how good a driver she is, she may, just as other good drivers sometimes do, have an accident leaving someone else harmed.
If she does not have insurance, she risks leaving those harmed without the ability to be recompensed.
I still wouldn’t actually report her to the authorities, I’d just make sure that my uninsured motorist coverage is up to date.
I know the last car I bought from a dealer, I did, but I also got a loan through the dealer, so I thought that was why. I actually called my insurance agent and had them email the certificate of insurance to the dealership while I was there. I’m pretty sure the previous time I had bought a car from a dealer I didn’t have to, but that was a very long time ago, so either laws or memories may have changed in the intervening time.
I did show my driver’s license, but I also don’t know if that was to ensure I was a licensed driver, or just meant as an ID.
Yeah, I don’t really get the idea that you take the test once when you are ~16, and never are examined on your driving ability again. You have to take an eye exam (which I can almost pass without corrective lenses, so is pretty lenient), but no written test to make sure you remember the laws, nor are up to date on any changes, and no driving test to make sure you still are able to safely operate a car.
Actually the answer is the same in both cases. You are getting the bill,
In one case you are then on the hook to try and get that back from the insurance company, in one from the driver themselves (or the uninsured drivers fund)
In theory the insurance company is more likely to pay than the other driver.
But neither is guaranteed. Speaking as someone who has collections on their credit report from my daughter’s medical bills from when were rear ended by an insured driver who admitted fault, and their insurance company never paid, I can state categorically that having insurance does not completely ensure the other party’s bills get paid.
While in principle, I agree wholey with this point, I’d like to give the caveat that most people have state minimum insurance, which in Ohio is only $25,000 per person, $50,000 per incident, which can be chewed up pretty quickly in medical costs.
Still, I’d rather have that $25k going towards my medical bills than nothing.