Can I drive my Private Vehicles for my Student Activity
Private vehicles are not covered by the Students' Union insurance. Ensure your personal insurance includes "business purposes" coverage when driving for university activities.
In practical terms, this means that if you are using your private vehicle to travel to a university fixture, you must contact your insurance provider to confirm that your policy includes coverage for business purposes. If this coverage is not listed, it is important that you update your policy to reflect this, as failing to do so could leave you exposed to financial risks in the event of an accident or other incident while on the road.
If you have any doubts or need further clarification, I would strongly encourage you to speak directly with your insurance provider to ensure you are compliant and fully covered for all university-related driving activities. It's always better to double-check beforehand than to encounter problems down the line.
Can I drive a hired vehicle for my Student Activity?
To drive a hired vehicle, you must meet specific criteria set by our insurance provider, Endsleigh.
If you qualify, you will be classified as a "standard driver" and approved by the Students' Union without further referral to Endsleigh.
See below for the criteria to determine your eligibility.
How do I register as an approved driver?
To apply, complete the Students' Union Driver Registration.
Applications may take up to 5 working days to process, longer during peak periods or holidays.
You must wait for confirmation from the Students' Union before driving any hired vehicle
How often do I need to register?
You must submit a new application each academic year to ensure coverage.
If your details change before re-registration, submit an updated form. Failing to do so will invalidate your insurance.
How do I obtain a DVLA Summary?
The registration forms states I require to submit a DVLA Summary. How do I obtain this?
You can view or share your driving licence information if your licence was issued in England, Wales or Scotland here DVLA (driving licence summary), please ensure you have
Once you have your PDF copy of the form, upload to your Students' Union Driver Registration, or email to the Students' Union Sports Office at ausa-transport@abdn.ac.uk.
What is Endsleigh's "Standard Driver" Criteria?
To be considered as an approved driver, the Students Union will review your application against the Endsleigh "Standard Driver" criteria.
To be approved as a "standard driver," you must meet the following:
- Hold a UK/EU/Channel Islands/Isle of Man licence for at least 1 year (2 years for minibuses).
- Licences issued in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Norway are also acceptable and are treated in the same way as EU licences.
- Drivers with an EU licence are limited to vehicles with 8 passenger seats or less
- Be aged 18-70 to drive cars, MPVs, or vans; aged 21-70 for minibuses.
- A minibus is defined as a vehicle with a driver and between 9 and 16 passenger seats (not a 9-seater MPV).
- Have NO recent accidents (within 3 years)
- Have NOT disclosed motoring convictions that are not on the approved list, or have more than one
- Have NOT disclosed any medical conditions that affect your driving license.
- If you wish to tow a trailer, your licence must allow it, and the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer must not exceed limits.
- You may need to check this with the DVLA)
- Wear corrective lenses if required for vision standards.
- Though not required, the SU recommends completing an eye test within the last 24 months.
I dont meet the criteria for Standard Driver - what happens now?
If you don't meet the the criteria for a Standard Driver you will be classified as non-standard and must be referred to Endsleigh.
- A non-UK/EU licence (except Norway, Channel Islands, Isle of Man)
- Drivers over 70 years old
- Disclosed medical conditions that affect driving licence, or accidents within the last 3 years
- More than one motoring conviction, or have one not on the approved list,
If this applies to you, please complete the Endsleigh Non Standard Driver Form and upload to your Students' Union Driver Registration, or email the completed form to the Students' Union Sports Office at ausa-transport@abdn.ac.uk.
I have an International (non-UK/EU) Licence - is there anything I need to consider before applying?
If your licence is from outside the UK/EU (including Norway, Channel Islands, Isle of Man), it must be referred to Endsleigh.
To be eligible, drivers must be at least 21, with no accidents or convictions, and have held a full licence for at least 3 years.
Drivers may incur a higher excess or additional premium. which may be payable by either the Activity or the individual
Please consider these factors before submitting your driver for approval.
Use this tool to see if you can drive in Great Britain with your non-GB driving licence.
Accidents and Insurance
If you have an accident while driving for a Student Activity, notify your own insurance provider.
Driving abroad
If you plan to drive outside the UK, inform the Students' Union.
Endsleigh does not have specific guidelines regarding driving outside the UK. Generally, the requirements are similar to those in the UK; however, the Student Activity must ensure there are no specific regulations for the country in which they intend to drive.
Drivers may incur a higher excess or additional premium. which may be payable by either the Activity or the individual
Please consider these factors before submitting your driver for approval.
I want to drive a minibus - do I need a special qualification?
You no longer need a separate MiDAS qualification to drive a minibus, and can use your current car driving license if:
- You are aged 21-70 and have held a full UK licence for at least 2 years.
- You are driving for a non-commercial, voluntary purpose, with no payment from passengers.
- The minibus weighs no more than 3.5 tonnes (plus 750kg for disabled passengers) and you are not towing a trailer.
Driver Quality Monitoring
While it’s not mandatory under the Students' Union Insurance Policy, both the Students' Union and Endsleigh Insurance recommend that drivers without a Category D1 license complete a Driver Quality Monitoring Assessment for risk management purposes.Contact the Students' Union Sports Office for more details.
If you have any queries relating to the above, please do not hesitate to contact the Students' Union
Sports Office | ASV | Linksfield Rd | Aberdeen, AB24 5RU | Tel: 01224 438975 | Email: fixtures@abdn.ac.uk
Main Office Students’ Union Building | Elphinstone Rd | Aberdeen, AB24 3TU - Tel: 01224 272965 - Email: activities@abdn.ac.uk