UK resident: Driving in the USA

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Thu 1 Mar 2018 23:59
UK resident: Driving in the USA - Brill {P}
My son is travelling to the US, he’s going on a road trip with some American friends who live there. They will be using their car, and we are confused about the legalities and want to be legal.
Son has full uk licence, he’s 22.
I’m told the insurance is different over there, something about the car being insured not the owner, which suggests he can drive their car.
Is this in fact correct? Would he be fully covered?
Anything else I need to worry about?!
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Fri 2 Mar 2018 06:04
UK resident: Driving in the USA - RT

He needs to check the licencing requirement - when I went in 1990 I needed an International Driving Permit as well as my UK licence - it may have changed since.

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Fri 2 Mar 2018 08:41
UK resident: Driving in the USA - Bromptonaut

We drove in Texas last year on just plain UK licence. Hire co didn't even ask for DVLA print out that replaces counterpart.

Be aware that laws on insurance, minimum age for driving etc may vary from State to State. IIRC one, possibly Florida, at least notionally requires an International Driving Permit.

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Fri 2 Mar 2018 10:00
UK resident: Driving in the USA - badbusdriver

According to an article in auto express, a full uk drivers licence is all you need, so long as it has been held for at least 2 years. Regarding age, according to this article, that is when hiring a car, in which case if you need to be at least 21, but in some cases 25.

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Fri 2 Mar 2018 10:51
UK resident: Driving in the USA - Brill {P}
Thanks for the replies. I’m still unsure about him driving someone’s car when there. Regarding the insurance on their private car, he has been told that as they have insured their car, he can drive it, I hope that’s correct and that he’s covered.
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Fri 2 Mar 2018 11:35
UK resident: Driving in the USA - badbusdriver

Just had another look online specifiically regarding the insurance and there is very little relevant info. The only thing i found was from a forum a few years ago with someone asking pretty much the same thing. One reply said that they had been on holiday to the US and used a friends car, the friend having assured them that his insurance was fine with UK residents driving the car so long as they had a full UK license fort more than 2 years. But what i would suggest is that you get your sons friend to confirm for sure that he is allowed to drive the car, even if it means adding your son to the existing policy temporarily. But even if that doesn't work out, you'd have to assume that your son would be able to get temporary car insurance of his own if need be.

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Fri 2 Mar 2018 12:03
UK resident: Driving in the USA - oldroverboy.

I have friends in NY state, and when I go, their insurance covers me "As long as I am driving with their permission" and have the necessary documents when I cross into Canada. My uk licence was fine, but make sure your friends(The vehicle owners I assume) are properly insured. It is up to the driver to have documents. Your friends saying he is insured is simply not enough. Usually in the USA insurance is done through a broker, (my friends pay monthly because of the high cost, $2100 a year for a c class 3 yr old MB with many years of NCD.)

Be aware that if there is an accident, the financial consequences can be horrendous if he is sued as at fault.

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Fri 2 Mar 2018 16:45
UK resident: Driving in the USA - HGV ~ P Valentine

Might I suggest you contact teh american embassy and ask them, or dvla, they can tell you the right info, please be careful there are lots of people who think they know, but don't and taking there advice may get you in hot water, so contact the authorities and ask them, you might even try going or calling the non emergency police line and ask them, see if they can help you, I call them quite a lot if I am not sure of anything, and I cant find the info on any reliable source.

Ps it may even vary from state to state, i dont know. And I am not too proud to say that as I would rather say that then give you the wrong information.

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Fri 2 Mar 2018 16:54
UK resident: Driving in the USA - oldroverboy.

Might I suggest you contact teh american embassy and ask them, or dvla, they can tell you the right info, please be careful there are lots of people who think they know, but don't and taking there advice may get you in hot water, so contact the authorities and ask them, you might even try going or calling the non emergency police line and ask them, see if they can help you, I call them quite a lot if I am not sure of anything, and I cant find the info on any reliable source.

Ps it may even vary from state to state, i dont know. And I am not too proud to say that as I would rather say that then give you the wrong information.

Just contact his insurance company. Check AA/RAC website. The embassy have bigger fish to fry!

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Fri 2 Mar 2018 16:53
UK resident: Driving in the USA - HGV ~ P Valentine

www.usa.gov/visitors-driving

The gov link, info you will need, I didnt read it all but it states that in some states you need a international permit on a foreign license, the guy was right who said that, anyway have a look at this page.

as the title would suggest it is the official gov page.

Edited by 30 yr's a Professional Driver on 02/03/2018 at 16:55

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