# Drive a car of someone whose license is suspended



## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

Hi 
I've just got my new driving license recently. I'm going to test drive a car of someone before buying it. He told me that he sell his car because his driving license is suspended. Is it legal if I test drive his car?


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## dotnet_nerd (Jul 1, 2009)

Can you drive on your own, or is a graduated license requiring a licensed driver with you?


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

Full driving license. I can drive by my own.


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## Daniel A. (Mar 20, 2011)

Make sure his car still has insurance on it.


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

If it does, I'm fine to drive it, right?


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Yes, if it's insured and the plates are still valid.


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## jdc (Feb 1, 2016)

Yeah but... If it is insured under the suspended driver's name, don't be surprised if you are pulled over, it is quite likely. The police cars all have license plate scanners that automatically flag suspended drivers plates. If you drive by one, you'll be stopped for sure.


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

If it is not insured and I drive with him, if the police pull me over or there is an accident, me or him is responsible?


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

If it is not insured you will both be responsible, but for different things.

If something should happen, he can be fined up to $5,000 for allowing someone to drive an uninsured vehicle he owns, and you are responsible for care and control of the vehicle.

He could claim you stole the vehicle or took it without his permission, and then you would be charged with a criminal offense.

Many insurance policies don't cover drivers under the age of 25 unless they are named on the policy as occasional drivers.

A suspended driver is not insurable, so the insurance company would not have to pay any claims. 

The owner of the car would be responsible for any civil costs and you would be responsible for any criminal charges related to driving the vehicle.

My insurance broker told me that police now have direct access to insurance records. They used to call her and ask about her client's insurance, but now they have direct access to a computer database of insurers.

My suggestion is to have someone who has their own car insurance drive the car for the test drive. Their insurance policy would cover them for the test ride.

They probably should inform their insurance company they are taking the vehicle for a test drive first, so the insurance company can consider it an "in folder" situation.


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

I'm with him so he can't say I steal it. I'm more than 25. If there is no accident and the police stop me because they scan the license plat, it would be only the owner problem, right?


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

I don't see how it would be a problem for you as an honest potential buyer taking the car for a test drive, because you didn't know anything about the owner's driver suspension........right !


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## 0xCC (Jan 5, 2012)

If the only reason you get pulled over for driving the car owned by some one with a suspended license is that the plates got scanned and insurance/ownership isn't an issue no one should have a problem.

Think about a car dealership. Technically the dealership owns all the cars until they are sold to an individual. The dealership is a business and not a person and therefore can't even have a license (let alone a suspended one) and yet no one gets a ticket for test driving cars from a dealership.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

I agree if the owner still has valid insurance coverage, it won't be a problem...........but how would the poster know if the insurance has been revoked or cancelled ?

Dealerships have blanket commercial insurance coverage, but they still require a valid driver license before a test drive.

Hey, I have done it lots of time........taking a vehicle out for a test drive. I never checked the owner's insurance policy, but I always had my own to cover me.

This is unusual in that the OP doesn't already have insurance coverage, which is why I suggested he have someone else with coverage take the car for the test drive.


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

I have no insurance coverage. If the owner has no insurance coverage too but he is the owner of the car, I'm not sure if I'm right to test drive his car with him.


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## 0xCC (Jan 5, 2012)

Now you are asking a different question. I have no idea what to expect in the case where you don't have insurance when you are test driving a car even if the car is insured. It might be worth a call to your local police to see what they say.


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

But I need to buy the car first before buying insurance.


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

Hi
Anyone free that can help me to test the car? I'm in Montreal.


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

sags said:


> If it is not insured you will both be responsible, but for different things ...


YMMV ... from what I recall in another thread, I believe this is in Montreal. The question may boil down to if there are any differences in the Quebec system.

http://canadianmoneyforum.com/showthread.php/71002-I-need-someone-to-test-drive-a-car


Cheers


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Rexkh said:


> But I need to buy the car first before buying insurance.


I am not sure this is true ... certainly I don't buy the rental car in Florida or California but I do buy coverage from my insurance company when I rent a car.
This means I have whatever the basic coverage is from the rental company (they try to sell you better coverage for more than my insurance company offers it for), any coverage the credit card used to rent the car provides plus what I have purchased, should there be a problem.


I'd call a few insurance companies, ask about this situation and see what they say.


Cheers


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Rexkh said:


> I have no insurance coverage. If the owner has no insurance coverage too but he is the owner of the car, I'm not sure if I'm right to test drive his car with him.


I'd expect that the Quebec gov't would require the car owner at minimum to have insurance.

It seems clear Quebec is different as the web site quoted says that an injury premium is blended in with one's driver's license. It supposedly is the private plan which covers civil liability and property damage.
https://www.kanetix.ca/quebec-car-insurance-canada

The Quebec gov't seems to require the car owner to at least have some private plan coverage.


> Under the Automobile Insurance Act, the owner of a motor vehicle on Québec roads must hold a liability insurance contract of at least $50,000.


http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/vehicle_registration/liability_insurance.php


Cheers


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Perhaps, have the car towed to a dealership and have an inspection done, and ask they perform a road test as well.


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## Taraz (Nov 24, 2013)

I'd run a title check and car facts report first - make sure it's not stolen and that it doesn't have liens. When someone is irresponsible enough to get suspended license, I automatically assume that they're irresponsible with money. Assuming he's not lying about it being his car, he might be underwater on a loan. If he can't get a bridge loan or borrow some cash to pay of the liens, he may not actually be able to sell the car (because the bank or car company effectively owns it).


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## Bailee (Mar 11, 2016)

You better need to own that insurance before start driving it, car insurance ownership is one the big problems we usually have at work, people get cars and drive it without checking its ownership legitimacy, it s not a bicycle


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

It should be perfectly legal for you to drive the car if it has current plates and insurance. It should also be legal for the owner to ride with you as long as he is not driving. You could call the local police to check if this is correct.

If there is no insurance but the owner tells you there is that would be on him not on you. I don't see how you could get in trouble if the car has current plates which you can tell at a glance.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

0xCC said:


> If the only reason you get pulled over for driving the car owned by some one with a suspended license is that the plates got scanned and insurance/ownership isn't an issue no one should have a problem.


It all depends on how the owner with the suspended licence and his insurance company are dealing with it, the timing of thelicense suspension,IMO.

IF the licence is temporarily suspended, the owner probably still can have valid plates/sticker and insurance on it, so that the car could be sold if need be. That may be a special arrangement with his insurance company to allow the
vehicle to be sold.



> Think about a car dealership. Technically the dealership owns all the cars until they are sold to an individual. The dealership is a business and not a person and therefore can't even have a license (let alone a suspended one) and yet no one gets a ticket for test driving cars from a dealership.


Most car dealerships have a dealer plate that they can hang off the trunk of a vehicle being taken for a ride test with the dealers insurance covering the vehicle with the temporary dealer plate. I believe that the dealer/salesperson has to be in the vehicle for the test ride as well,
since the dealer would have the documentation in case of an accident.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Rusty O'Toole said:


> It should be perfectly legal for you to drive the car if it has current plates and insurance. It should also be legal for the owner to ride with you as long as he is not driving. You could call the local police to check if this is correct.
> 
> If there is no insurance but the owner tells you there is that would be on him not on you. *I don't see how you could get in trouble if the car has current plates which you can tell at a glance*.


Hmmm??^^
A vehicle could have current plate sticker but if the insurance premium has not been paid or up to date, just like with house insurance..the insurance policy could be null and void.

IF there is a accident and a claim results from it, it could get very messy legally. Every situation is different of course.

If the test driver makes a mistake that can cause a serious accident/injuries.the police will charge the driver for any HTA infraction and the owner of the vehicle can be* charged substantial fines for not having PROOF OF VALID INSURANCE.* 
Also, If any lawsuits result later, those *lawsuits can be against both parties in the vehicle* at the time
of accident.


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## MMcLaurent (May 1, 2015)

You would need insurance, but legally you can drive the car.


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