While road safety has to be a priority for all South Africans, understanding your rights as a motorist on the roads is also important.<\/p>\n
Jakkie Olivier, the CEO of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), said the topic of whether it is an offence to drive with an expired drivers licence card was recently raised by one of its members.<\/p>
The topic was reported on in Automobil by Roxanne Paans, a candidate attorney in the litigation department at Barnard Incorporated in Centurion.<\/p>\n
She refers to the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) 93 of 1996 which states that the period of validity of a driving licence shall be indefinite, unless such a licence has been suspended or cancelled in terms of the Act.<\/p>
\u201cThe confusion is created by the fact that the NRTA does not seem to clearly differentiate between a driving licence and a driving licence card,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The NRTA and the National Road Traffic Act Regulations are two important pieces of legislation, which regulate the rules of the roads in South Africa.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccording to the Regulations a driving licence card shall expire five years from the date on which it was ordered from the card production facility.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Regulations make no mention of the expiration of a driving licence, but expressly state that the validity of a driving licence shall be indefinite.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe uncertainty, therefore, created by the Regulations is whether the expiration of a driving licence card also leads to the expiration of a driving licence,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s interesting is that Regulation 108 (5)(b) states that: \u2018The holder of a driving licence card may apply for a new card in the manner contemplated in regulation 109 and the new card shall be authorised and issued in the manner contemplated in regulation 109(3)\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe word \u2018may\u2019 suggests that the holder of a driving licence has a choice as to whether to renew the card or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Regulations furthermore do not expressly state that it is an offence if a holder of a driving licence fails to renew the driving licence card,\u201d said Paans.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Get up close and personal with your car<\/a><\/p>\n Tips to prevent battery hassles during the colder months<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The closest indication that the driving of a motor vehicle with an expired driving licence card constitutes an offence in terms of the NRTA is found in section 12 which says:<\/p>\n \u201812 No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a public road\u2014<\/p>\n (a) except under the authority and in accordance with the conditions of a licence issued to him or her in terms of this Chapter or of any document deemed to be a licence for the purposes of this Chapter; and<\/p>\n (b)\u00a0 unless he or she keeps such licence or document or any other prescribed authorisation with him or her in the vehicle.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThe NRTA and its Regulations does not expressly state whether a driving licence card is a \u2018document deemed to be a licence\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems that there is no express indication that the expiration of a driving licence card is tantamount to the expiration of a driving licence and this question definitely warrants further and in-depth investigation,\u201d said Paans.<\/p>\n She suggested that in order to avoid the risk of a fine it is advisable that drivers of vehicles are at all times in possession of a driving licence card which has not yet expired.<\/p>\n Olivier agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile it may seem like a hassle renewing your drivers licence card every five years if you make it a to-do item before the expiration date it can be done relatively easily.<\/p>\n \u201cAlong with servicing your vehicle at regular intervals, make it a priority to renew your drivers licence card,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n