Road Traffic Act 1988

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Changes over time for: Section 144

Version Superseded: 17/12/2009

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Status:

Point in time view as at 01/10/2009. This version of this provision has been superseded.

Changes to legislation:

Road Traffic Act 1988, Section 144 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 08 March 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

144 Exceptions from requirement of third-party insurance or security.E+W+S

(1)Section 143 of this Act does not apply to a vehicle owned by a person who has deposited and keeps deposited with the Accountant General of the [F1Senior Courts] the sum of [F2£500,000], at a time when the vehicle is being driven under the owner’s control.

[F3(1A)The Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument substitute a greater sum for the sum for the time being specified in subsection (1) above.

(1B)No order shall be made under subsection (1A) above unless a draft of it has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.]

(2)Section 143 does not apply—

(a)to a vehicle owned—

(i)by the council of a county or county district in England and Wales [F4the Broads Authority], the Common Council of the City of London, the council of a London borough [F5 a National Park authority], the Inner London Education Authority [F6the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority,][F7an authority established for an area in England by an order under section 207 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (joint waste authorities)], or a joint authority (other than a police authority) established by Part IV of the M1Local Government Act 1985,

(ii)by a [F8council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 in Scotland, or]

(iii)by a joint board or committee in England or Wales, or joint committee in Scotland, which is so constituted as to include among its members representatives of any such council,

at a time when the vehicle is being driven under the owner’s control,

(b)to a vehicle owned by a police authority [F9or the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police district], at a time when it is being driven under the owner’s control, or to a vehicle at a time when it is being driven for police purposes by or under the direction of a constable, or by a person employed by a police authority, F9. . ., or

(ba)F10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)to a vehicle at a time when it is being driven on a journey to or from any place undertaken for salvage purposes pursuant to Part IX of the [F11Merchant Shipping Act 1995],

(d)[F12to the use of a vehicle for the purpose of its being provided in pursuance of a direction under section 166(2)(b) of the M2Army Act 1955 or under the corresponding provision of the M3Air Force Act 1955,]

[F13(da)to a vehicle owned by a health service body, as defined in section 60(7) of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 [F14by a Primary Care Trust established under [F15section 18 of the National Health Service Act 2006]][F16or by a Local Health Board established under section 11 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006], at a time when the vehicle is being driven under the owner’s control.

(db)to an ambulance owned by a National Health Service trust established under [F17section 25 of the National Health Service Act 2006, section 18 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006] or the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, at a time when a vehicle is being driven under the owner’s control]

[F18(dc)to an ambulance owned by an NHS foundation trust, at a time when the vehicle is being driven under the owner’s control,]

(e)to a vehicle which is made available by the Secretary of State [F19or the Welsh Ministers] to any person, body or local authority in pursuance of [F20section 12 or 80 of the National Health Service Act 2006, or section 10 or 38 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006,] at a time when it is being used in accordance with the terms on which it is so made available,

(f)to a vehicle which is made available by the Secretary of State to any local authority, education authority or voluntary organisation in Scotland in pursuance of section 15 or 16 of the M4National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 at a time when it is being used in accordance with the terms on which it is so made available.

[F21(g) to a vehicle owned by [F22the Care Quality Commission], at a time when the vehicle is being driven under the owner’s control]

Textual Amendments

F1S. 144(1): words wherever they occur in any enactment substituted (1.10.2009) by virtue of Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 59, 148, Sch. 11 para. 1(2); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2

F2Words in s. 144(1) substituted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 20(2); S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

F3S. 144(1A)(1B) inserted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 20(3); S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

F4Words inserted (E.W) by Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988 (c. 4, SIF 81:1), ss. 21, 23(2), Sch. 6 para. 9 (as amended by Road Traffic (Consequential Provisions) Act 1988 (c. 54, SIF 107:1), s. 4, Sch. 3 para. 36)

F5Words in s. 144(2)(a)(i) inserted (23.11.1995) by 1995 c. 25, S. 78, Sch. 10, para.29 (with ss. 115, 117, Sch. 8 para. 7); S.I. 1995/2950, art. 2

F6Words in s. 144(2)(a)(i) inserted (3.7.2000) by 1999 c. 29, s. 328(8), Sch. 29 Pt. I para. 54 (with Sch. 12 para. 9(1)); S.I. 2000/1094, art. 4(h)

F7Words in s. 144(2)(a)(i) inserted (E.W.) (1.4.2008) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 209, 245, Sch. 13 para. 45; S.I. 2008/917, art. 2(1)(p)

F8Words in s. 144(2)(a)(ii) substituted (S.) (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 39, s. 180(1), Sch. 13 para. 159(8); S.I. 1996/323, art. 4

F9Words in s. 144(2)(b) repealed (3.7.2000) by 1999 c. 29, ss. 325, 423, Sch. 27 para. 61, Sch. 34 Pt. VII (with Sch. 12 para. 9(1)); S.I. 2000/1648,art. 2, Sch.

F10S. 144(2)(ba) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 59, 174(2), 178, Sch. 4 para. 54, Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13 (subject to art. 4(2)-(7))