Traffic Accident in Israel while Driving without a Valid License

This article will address what happens if you get in a traffic accident in Israel while driving without a valid license. All issues surrounding driving and traffic violations in Israel fall under the auspices of the Ministry of Transport and Road Safety.

Penalty for a Traffic Accident in Israel while Driving without a Valid License

Driving a vehicle without a proper license is a criminal offense in Israel. The severity of the offense depends on the exact nature of the circumstances (for example, driving with an expired license is less severe than driving with no license at all). If you become involved in a traffic accident in Israel while driving a vehicle without a proper license this may also prevent you from claiming compensation for damages to your person or property.

If you were involved in a traffic accident while driving a vehicle without a proper license you are disqualified from claiming compensation from either your insurance company or from the governmental fund “Karnit.” However, this does not apply to drivers who were driving with a license that had recently expired (less than one year before the accident) and was not properly renewed.

Neither the insurance companies nor “Karnit” will recognize the claims for damages made by a driver whose license has expired over a year before the event, whose license has been suspended, whose license was not appropriate for the vehicle in which they were driving, or never had a driving license at all. This is in addition to the punishment the driver is likely to face for the crime of driving without a proper license.

If, on the other hand, you were involved in an accident caused by the negligent or malicious behavior of another driver, then there is nothing prohibiting you from suing the offending driver directly for damages, regardless of your offense of driving without a proper license. The inability to claim damages is limited to the private insurance companies and the government insurance fund, “Karnit.”

Recommendations if you find yourself in this situation

If you were involved in an accident in which you or another party were driving without a proper license you should contact an experienced traffic lawyer to advise you how best to proceed. We provide some of our best tips on how to choose an Israeli traffic lawyer in our linked article.

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We provide many more articles that you may find of interest. These include what to do if you cause a car accident, are caught running a red light, drunk driving, are in a traffic accident while working, and more.

Contact Us

Advocate Moti Orange specializes in Israeli traffic law. If you seek assistance after experiencing a traffic accident in Israel while driving without a valid license, please contact us.