Not only will you pay a hefty fine if caught by our traffic cops, but you could also stand the chance to win a 2 nights stay at one of Windhoek's most luxurious establishments, called the chooky, breakfast not included.
Apart from that rather chilling fact, there is also a series of other issues in regard to licenses that can give your everyday driver some serious issues, especially when it comes to an accident claim.
Renewal of a License
It's not that we forget to do this, it's merely a fact that in most cases a deadline has a special ability to creep up on us to maximize the damage it can do. But in all seriousness, there have been recent cases of individuals who were in unfortunate accidents, and even more unfortunate was the fact that when they wanted to claim, their driver's license was expired. This of course would lead to the immediate rejection of a claim.
- Please make sure that you monitor the validity and expiration date of your license, as the presentation of an invalid driver's license can lead to your claim being rejected.
- Even though you fail to make the application for your renewal before the stipulated time period given, your license can still be renewed, IF such an application is made within 12 months (not years) following the expiry date of your license.
- And of course, what would a renewal be without a renewal fee, which naturally needs to be paid before anyone will lift a finger in assistance?
Another aspect which is most often than not overlooked is the Foreign Driving License permit, especially the conditions for use in Namibia. Your foreign driver's license may not be used for longer than a period of 12 months if you have permission to stay permanently in the country. This can cause problems for individuals relocating to Namibia who fell in love with its splendorous appeal and just could not get it over their hearts to ever live anywhere else ever again. Which happens more than you think.
- A foreign driver's license needs to be valid in the country of issue, for it to be regarded as valid in Namibia and it must be in English.
- If an individual decides to relocate to Namibia on a permanent base, whether it be as a result of work, domicile, or a dramatic love story that happened one December holiday, that person is required by law to convert their foreign driver's license to a Namibian one, no longer than 12 months from the date that the person has permission in terms of any law to stay permanently in the country.
- The importance of this is that failure to do so can and will lead to a claim being rejected if the above-mentioned conversion was not completed because the driver’s license is simply no longer valid, even if the foreign driver’s license is still valid in the country where it was issued.
- An International Driving Permit is also not a solution, because it is still regarded as a foreign driver’s license
These facts can cause a panado-worthy headache to clients who seek out professional advice from a brokerage, but when faced with a claim they find themselves in a world of hurt. Please take the time and explain to people the importance of this law and what the implications can be.