Image: IAM RoadSmart
IAM RoadSmart has called on the Government to ensure that all drivers who have amassed 12 or more penalty points have their licences revoked.
DVLA statistics, obtained by the road safety charity through an FOI request, show there are up to 8,800 people still driving on UK roads with more than 12 points – the amount at which you are disqualified.
The highest number of penalty points currently held by one individual is 68.
IAM RoadSmart says letting repeat offenders keep their licence “undermines” the system – adding the issue “urgently needs to be addressed”.
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: “We urge the Government to urgently revisit the issue of drivers with more than 12 points who still have not had their licences revoked.
“IAM RoadSmart has been raising this issue for almost a decade now and the problem still persists. It’s not by chance that certain drivers amass 12 or more points and they need to be removed from the public roads.
“By letting them keep their licence it undermines the simple ‘four strikes and you’re out’ message and this urgently needs to be addressed.”
The figures also show there are more than 304,000 pensioners (over 65s) currently driving on UK roads with penalty points on their licence, nearly 25 times the number of young teenage drivers – of which there are just over 12,000 with penalty points.
They show that the oldest person driving with points on their licence is 102, while there are more than 3,000 over the age of 90 currently driving with penalty points.
Overall, there are more drivers in their 30s with penalty points than any other age range (575,029), closely followed by those in their 40s (572,238) and those in their 50s (568,511).
The highest single age with the greatest number of people with points was 49 (63,248).
Neil Greig added: “The findings are surprising. Speeding and other motoring misdemeanours are often associated with younger drivers but the findings clearly show there is a large number of older drivers also flouting the rules.
“Regardless of age, the message we need to get through is that road safety is paramount and we urge drivers of all ages to stick to the speed limits and ensure their vehicles are in a roadworthy condition.”
Shouldn’t the road safety fraternity be asking why the individual – reputedly with 68 points – is still (presumably) on the road and what his/her offences actually were? Whoever it is, are they the most dangerous driver in the UK and if he/she were to kill or injure someone, can the authorities who allowed them to keep driving be held accountable?
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
+2
> “IAM RoadSmart has been raising this issue for almost a decade now and the problem still persists. It’s not by chance that certain drivers amass 12 or more points and they need to be removed from the public roads.
Actually, it is
Do 40mph on a road that used to be 40mph but has now been decreased to a lower limit, and has an active speed camera, and be captured every day for a week before they get the first NIP – even with a speeding diversionary course, they’ll still end up a totter.
David Weston, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
--6
I agree with the thrust of this, exceptional circumstances should mean that and be truly exceptional before people are allowed to keep their licenses when exceeding 12 points. Too often the interpretation of family responsibilities is applied too leniently and the test should be based around explaining why private hire vehicles cannot be made use of.
Disappointing use of stats in the report. Meaningless without numbers of license holders being quoted by age range.
Peter Whitfield, Liverpool
+2