As more drivers hit the road with out-of-date licences, Lewis warned motorists to check their photocards are in date, have the right address and that the name and gender on it are correct to avoid penalties.

He explained: “It’s easy to forget, but a quick check now could save you a fine of up to £1,000 if your photocard has expired.

“It’s an annoying £14 to renew (£17 if you renew by post), but that’s a far better option than the fine.

“There are a few dates printed on the photocard, but the one you need is the photo expiry date printed on section 4b on the front of the card.”

Drivers must renew their licence every 10 years until they are 70 when they will be required to renew once every three years to stay on UK roads.

While it costs to renew a licence, drivers who find themselves in this position can apply for a new one online with either their UK passport or the document used to set up an online immigration status.

If unable to use either of these, however, drivers can apply at the Post Office or by post.

The DVLA also found that Greater London has 891,122 expired licences, followed by South East England’s 489,305 and North West England’s 371,882.

Andrew Jervis, CEO of ClickMechanic, said: “Holding a valid
and in-date licence is a legal requirement to drive in the UK and helps protect
the safety of all road users.

“Many drivers won’t be aware that their documentation has
expired and it can be easy to miss an upcoming renewal date.

“However, the fact that there are millions of motorists in
the country who do not hold a valid licence shows the scale of the problem is
much higher than it should be.

“These figures act as an important reminder to ensure we
keep our documentation up-to-date to avoid falling foul of the law and facing a
£1,000 fine.”

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