Can you drive around with a picture of your licence?

Picture this: You're driving down the road, music blasting, and suddenly you see those dreaded blue lights flashing in your rear-view mirror. You pull over, your heart racing, then realise, "Oh no! I forgot my driver's licence at home!" What now?

Let's be honest; we've all forgotten or misplaced our driver's licence at home. It's that one annoying item that always disappears when you need it the most. So, what can you do if you find yourself in a sticky situation without your trusty licence?

The best thing to do is to stay calm and explain the situation honestly. If you have any other form of identification, such as a passport or ID card, show it to the traffic cop. They might let you off with a warning or ask you to produce your license at a later stage.

Can you drive around with a picture of your licence?

The simple answer is NO. You cannot legally drive with a picture of your driver's license instead of the physical card. In South Africa, the law requires drivers to carry their original driver's licence with them at all times while driving. A photocopy or a digital image of the licence is not considered a valid substitute.

While having a photo of your driver's licence on your phone may seem convenient, it is not legally acceptable. Traffic cops are required to ask for your original driver's licence when you get pulled over and if you cannot produce it, you could face a fine or even have your vehicle impounded.

So, remember, driving around with a picture of your licence is not a legal substitute for the real thing. In fact, if you try to pull that trick with a traffic cop, you might end up with a ticket faster than you can say, "Cheese!"