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A British gentleman was recently busted for driving without a license – ever. Police pulled over the 84-year-old man in his Mini Cooper to find that he not only didn’t have a driver’s license, but he also, of course, had no insurance. It’s hard to know if something like this is simply stupid or a lesson in stress management. Driving with my license expired gets under my skin. Not all car crimes are dramatic and dark; some are much more fun than others, still dangerous and dumb, but fun. 

Highway Patrol police officers pulling over a car in Nassau County, New York
Highway Patrol officers | J. Conrad Williams, Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images

What happens if you get caught driving without a license? 

Driving without a license covers a number of different offenses, the most straightforward being simply driving a vehicle without any driving license at all.

The penalties for this driving offense can vary but will range from between 3 and 6 penalty points and a fine of up to £1000. You can also be disqualified from driving.

Well, in many cases, like this one, you can get arrested. Driving without a valid license is illegal. There’s not really all that much legal gray area here. But driving without a license for 72 years? I mean, hell, obviously, he figured out how to do it. Hell, local police even said the man could hardly hear or stand, yet he still pushed his little Mini Cooper. Our old-timer outlaw told police that he had been driving since he was 12-years-old. Amazing. 

What happens if you get caught driving without insurance? 

In some ways, driving without proper insurance is more dangerous and irresponsible than driving without a license. Thankfully, it would seem that our friend in England hasn’t had many if any, car accidents in his long driving career. If he had had some crashes, I doubt he would have made it 72 years without a license. 

If he had crashed into someone else and either only damaged their car or hurt another driver, he would be open to serious legal action that could have ruined him. For this reason, drivers should really refrain from driving without a license or insurance. 

According to the New York Post, Police did not release the man’s name or what penalties he was issued but said his blue MINI had been spotted by a traffic camera that’s part of an expanding network, which identified it as being operated without proper documents. 

How old do you have to be to get your driver’s license? 

In most states in America, the driving age is 16, but 15-year-olds with a licensed instructor can drive once they get their permit. In some rare cases, drivers younger than 16 can get a driver’s license for catastrophic scenarios. 

On the end of the spectrum, as always, is NYC. To get your diver’s license in NYC, you must be 17 years old. 

In the U.K., the normal driving age is 17, as well. In some cases, younger drivers can also get a license. So, not only did our elderly unlicensed driver never get a license, but he also started driving five years before he was legally allowed to. Game recognize game.

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