A WARNING has been issued for drivers on how to avoid being caught out on the wrong insurance.

Young motorists learning to drive risk having their car seized if they are found to be taking lessons without the correct provisions.

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Although many teenagers will book lessons with a qualified driver, being taught to drive by a parent or caregiver is a common method of learning.

But before hitting the road, it’s important to carry out important checks first.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) states supervisors must be over the age of 21 and have held a licence for at least three years.

They must be qualified to drive the type of vehicle involved – which means they need a manual vehicle licence if they’re using a manual car.

And they must be fully insured on their own vehicle, but also take into consideration suitable cover for the learner otherwise they could fall foul of the law.

Graham Conway, Managing Director of Select Car Leasing, said parents taking youngsters out for lessons has long been a part of the learning to drive experience but there are some straightforward options to ensure those requiring L plates are fully covered.

He explained: “According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), those supervising must be over the age of 21 and have held a licence for at least three years.

“They must be qualified to drive the type of vehicle involved – which means they need a manual vehicle licence if they’re supervising in a manual car.

“And they must obviously be fully insured on their own vehicle, but also take into consideration suitable cover for the learner otherwise they could fall foul of the law.”

Drivers on a provisional licence who are not correctly insured on the vehicle in use could be issued with a fine of up to £1,000 and get six penalty points.

Police have the power to seize the car, and if the case ends up in court there is the potential for an unlimited fine and a driving ban.

Recent data released by the Motor Insurer’s Bureau revealed that an estimated 25,000 Brits are driving illegally on a provisional licence and without valid insurance.

Around half of these were also driving unsupervised.

Many learner drivers are oblivious they can rack up points on their provisional licences.

New research shows the number of learner drivers with points already on their provisional licence has rocketed to 76,000 offenders.

In a survey, car insurance provider Veygo found almost a third of Brits are unaware that it’s possible to get penalty points while driving with a provisional licence.

But surprisingly, a whopping 61-percent of those with points have already been stung with between six and 10 points.