If I have an accident while driving with a learner's license, will I be covered by insurance?
This article explains the requirements for applying for insurance with a provisional license and the rules to follow when practicing on the road. It also provides detailed information about things you should know in advance about accidents while driving with a provisional license, so please read it for reference.
目次
- What is a "provisional license"?
- Even if you have a provisional license, you can be covered by voluntary insurance if you meet two requirements.
- Legal requirements
- Insurance conditions
- Rules for on-road practice for provisional license holders
- Have a qualified person on board
- Carry Driver's License
- Put up a "Provisional License Practice" sign
- Practice on designated roads
- Things to check if a provisional license holder is involved in an accident while practicing
- The primary responsibility lies with the driver
- In the event of a serious accident, the event will be cancelled.
- If you are in a class, the instructor may be responsible.
- Can provisional license holders take out "one-day car insurance" to practice?
- Check insurance coverage when practicing driving while obtaining a provisional license
What is a "provisional license"?
A provisional license is an abbreviation for a "provisional driver's Driver's License" and is one of the official driver's Driver's License stipulated by the Road Traffic Act. It is required for on-road practice when obtaining a driver's Driver's License.
There are three types of provisional licenses: large provisional license, medium provisional license, semi-medium provisional license, and regular provisional license. You will obtain a provisional license according to the type of driver's license you plan to obtain.
Even if you have a provisional license, you can be covered by voluntary insurance if you meet two requirements.
In order for voluntary insurance to apply to accidents occurring while driving with a provisional license, legal requirements such as guidance by a qualified person and posting of signs must be met, and the coverage of the insurance you have must include the person driving with a provisional license.
Legal requirements
In order to apply for optional insurance while holding a provisional license, you must meet all of the following legal requirements.
- Have a qualified person on board
- Carry Driver's License
- Put up a "Provisional License Practice" sign
- Practice on designated roads
These are the regulations that apply when driving on the road with a provisional license, and you must comply with them if you are applying for optional insurance.
Insurance conditions
To be covered, your insurance must cover people driving with learner licences.
Voluntary insurance is insurance that you can take out to cover the parts that cannot be covered by compulsory insurance. Many policyholders limit the number of drivers because the premiums are cheaper if the driver is limited to the person himself or to a certain age, such as 30 or 35 years old or older.
When driving a vehicle with a provisional licence, check the insurance conditions and driver's coverage.
Rules for on-road practice for provisional license holders
There are rules that you must follow when practicing on the road while holding a provisional license. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Have a qualified person on board
A qualified person who must accompany a person driving a provisional license on the road is someone who meets any of the following criteria:
- Driving instructor at designated driving school
- Those who have held a Class 1 driver's license for more than three years and can drive the vehicle to be practiced
- A person who has a Class 2 license and can drive the vehicle to be practiced
While you hold a learner's licence, you must drive under the supervision of a qualified driver in the passenger seat.
Carry Driver's License
When driving a vehicle on the road, you must always carry Driver's License provisional driver's Driver's License. The Road Traffic Act requires drivers to carry their Driver's License, even if they have a provisional license.
Put up a "Provisional License Practice" sign
If you are driving with a provisional licence you will need to have signs on the front and rear of your vehicle.
The sign must be at least 30 cm wide and 17 cm long, with the words "Practicing with Provisional License" written in black on a white background. There are no particular rules for the material of the sign, and as long as it meets the regulations, it can be anything, including handmade cardboard signs or commercially available magnetic signs.
The signs must be placed in an easily visible location, either at the front or rear of the vehicle (no less than 0.4 metres or no more than 1.2 metres above ground level).
Practice on designated roads
Driving with a provisional license may only be done on the following roads:
- National Expressway
- Motorway
- Roads that are extremely congested and not suitable for training
National expressways are roads such as the Chuo Expressway and the Tohoku Expressway that run across prefectures.
Expressways for motor vehicles include the Shuto Expressway and Hanshin Expressway, which were built to facilitate smooth regional traffic, as well as the Keiyo Road and Isewan Coastal Road, which are used to replace the functions of national expressways.
In both cases, you can drive at faster speeds than on regular roads, but you cannot practice driving while holding a provisional license.
Things to check if a provisional license holder is involved in an accident while practicing
Even in the case of an accident while driving with a provisional license, the driver is generally responsible, and if a serious accident occurs, such as a personal injury accident resulting in death or injury, or a property damage accident resulting in damage to a structure, Driver's License will be revoked.
The primary responsibility lies with the driver
Responsibility for an accident generally lies with the person driving the vehicle, even if they have a provisional license, and in some cases they may be held liable for the following:
- Criminal liability (imprisonment, imprisonment, fines, etc.)
- Administrative responsibility (license revocation/suspension, etc.)
- Civil liability (damages)
These charges are imposed on the driver himself, with no exemption.
In the event of a serious accident, the event will be cancelled.
If you cause an accident resulting in death or injury, or if you cause an accident resulting in damage to a structure, Driver's License may be revoked. Driving while drunk, excessive speeding, and violation of the duty to provide assistance are also grounds for license revocation.
If you are in a class, the instructor may be responsible.
If an accident occurs because an instructor neglects their duty to ensure safe driving during lessons, the instructor or driving school may be held responsible.
Basically, it is the driver himself who is liable for criminal, administrative, and civil liability. However, if there is clear negligence on the part of the instructor, such as falling asleep or looking away, the driver may be allowed to file a claim for damages against the instructor or driving school based on breach of contract.
Can provisional license holders take out "one-day car insurance" to practice?
One-day car insurance cannot be used to practice driving while on a learner license.
One-day car insurance is car insurance that can be purchased on a daily (24-hour) basis. Many companies offer this service, but most of them have the following conditions for subscription:
- Possess a valid driver's Driver's License issued by the prefectural public safety commission in Japan
- The driver (named insured) must be 18 years of age or older.
- The vehicle in question is a private passenger car owned by another person or a relative (excluding a spouse)
- The vehicle is not for rental or car sharing
In order to take out one-day car insurance, you need to have a driver's license, so you cannot take out one-day car insurance if you have a provisional license.
Check insurance coverage when practicing driving while obtaining a provisional license
In order for an accident while driving with a provisional license to be covered by voluntary insurance, legal requirements must be met, such as having a qualified person ride with you to receive instruction and displaying a sign.
It is also necessary to make sure that the scope of coverage includes people who drive with provisional licenses. There are cases where the insurance company limits the drivers to keep the premiums low, so be sure to check carefully.
Even if you have a learner's license, the driver is generally responsible for any accidents that occur. When practicing driving, check the scope of your insurance coverage and follow the rules for on-road practice carefully.
