FT/D/2025/0491/FPP - [2025] UKFTT 01285 (GRC)

The Tribunal considered carefully all the evidence and papers before it. In particular, the evidence given by the Appellant and Mr Bandara about the incident that gave rise to the relevant conviction as well as the personal impact not being entered on to the Register would have for the Appellant and his family.

The Registrar has the duty of ensuring that only those of appropriate standing are on the Register, and that those who are on it understand their responsibilities and can show they not only know the rules but follow them. ADIs are rightly held to a higher standard than ordinary motorists. The public has the right to expect that those who are registered as ADIs will act professionally, reliably, and with integrity.

Teaching people of all ages to drive safely, carefully, and competently is a professional vocation requiring a significant degree of responsibility. Such a demanding task should only be entrusted to those with high personal and professional standards and who themselves have demonstrated a keen regard for road safety and compliance with the law. The public has the right to expect that those who are registered as ADIs adhere to the highest standards of motoring, which they themselves should be teaching to their pupils.

The offence of causing or permitting the use of a vehicle whilst uninsured is a particularly serious one as regards persons entrusted to teach others the standards expected of drivers and to demonstrate model behaviours. This is especially so in the context where the uninsured person is known to be a learner driver themselves. The threat posed to road safety as well as to the lives and health of other road users by uninsured drivers is hard to underestimate. Ensuring that your vehicle is only driven by someone with valid insurance is a fundamental cornerstone of responsible and lawful driving.

Whilst it may be the case that when Mr Bandara first started driving the vehicle this was without the permission of the Appellant, once the Appellant discovered Mr Bandera driving then by the Appellant’s own admission he chose not to insist that Mr Bandera stopped driving and instead took it upon himself to join him in the vehicle and assist Mr Bandera in continuing to drive the vehicle.

In all the circumstances, we conclude therefore that the Appellant does not currently meet the statutory requirement to be a fit and proper person. Therefore, we find that the Registrar’s decision to refuse to enter the Appellant on the Register because the Appellant was not a fit and proper person was correct. We dismiss this appeal accordingly.