Labour under pressure to close major driving licence loophole after pensioner killed by foreign driver

Hemma Visavadia
Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:45:05 +0000

Labour has been urged to close a major driving licence loophole, which currently allows foreign drivers to keep their licence even if they fail to meet UK standards.

A coroner has warned that more people could die on UK roads unless ministers close a loophole that lets foreign drivers who fail UK tests continue driving unsupervised.

Lorraine Harris, coroner for Hull and East Yorkshire, raised the alarm after the death of 70-year-old Susan Whittles, who was killed near Bridlington in November 2023.

Her death came at the hands of a Nigerian national from Romford, who was sentenced last month to six years in prison for causing her death by dangerous driving at Hull Crown Court.

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The court heard how the driver failed to stop at a crossroads on the B1253 near Rudston, hitting Ms Whittles's car while she had the right of way.

She died at the scene, and her husband, who was in the car with her, was seriously injured and trapped in the wreckage.

The driver had come to the UK in September 2022 with a valid Nigerian driving licence, which allowed him to drive on UK roads for a year.

Current rules state that people from countries whose driving standards aren't recognised as equivalent to the UK must pass a UK driving test within 12 months to continue driving legally.

The driver was issued a provisional UK licence in June 2023, requiring him to pass a practical test by mid-September, the coroner's report detailed.

But the driver failed twice, in July and September and was still legally allowed to drive unsupervised under his Nigerian licence during the 12-month grace period.

By the time of the crash in November 2023, that grace period had ended, meaning he was technically only allowed to drive on a provisional licence.

In her report aimed at preventing future deaths, Ms Harris highlighted a major inconsistency. UK learners who fail a driving test must display L plates and only drive with supervision.

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But foreign drivers from non-designated countries, including China, India, Israel, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the US, face no such restrictions during their 12-month period.

Ms Harris said: "If a national of a non-designated country fails any number of driving tests within the 12 months, they can still rely on their foreign licence to drive in the UK, despite not meeting DVSA safety standards."

Currently, examiners have no way to revoke the right of these drivers to drive unsupervised, regardless of how many times they fail.

The coroner has called on the transport secretary and the DVSA to act quickly, warning that drivers who fail to meet UK standards are a real danger on the roads.

The report issued last week gives the Department for Transport and the DVSA 56 days to respond to any proposed changes.

In response to the coroner's report, the DfT said: "Every death on our roads is a tragedy, and our thoughts are with Susan's family. We will carefully review the coroner's findings to determine if any changes are needed."

The offending driver was also banned from driving for 11 years and must pass an extended retest before driving again. DVSA records showed he eventually passed his practical test in March 2025, after failing six times in total.