Thousands of UK drivers still on the road with 12 licence points ~ station of gear

Driver with second highest points doesn't have licence

More than 6,500 still driving with 12 or more points. Most likely to dodge disqualification in Nottingham

2015-07-02 11:30

You’re more likely to dodge a driving ban in Nottingham than anywhere else in the UK, a new study by The Co-Operative Insurance reveals. The city topped the table with 180 motorists still driving despite having 12 or more penalty points on their licences. Racking up 12 points within a three-year period normally results in a six-month to two-year driving ban but courts can exercise discretion in some cases.

In total, more than 6,500 drivers were found to have more than 12 penalty points in the UK with Doncaster and Cardiff having the next highest proportions od 12-point drivers. Birmingham and Sheffield rounded off the top five.

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The figures also reveal a contrast to the popular opinion that young drivers are worst. The findings show 630 drivers aged between 17 and 25 have more than 12 penalty points, whereas 1,718 motorists with a similar record are found between 36 and 45 years of age. The study also highlights that 84 per cent of those with 12 or more points are male drivers.

Steve Kerrigan, Head of Telematics at The Co-Operative Insurance said: “As new generations of young drivers come through it is extremely important for safe driving education to continue and, in future, we will hopefully have safer roads as a result. We want to see the number of people on the roads with an excess number of penalty points reduce from the 6,500 figure and believe that telematics will be a key enabler to this.”

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While most drivers face a driving ban after accumulating 12 points, the DVLA insists it’s not a hard and fast rule. For example, a man in Liverpool has 45 penalty points on his licence, and a woman in Blackburn has 38 and both are still driving.

A DVLA spokesman said: “In a small percentage of cases where the driver has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, the DVLA understands that a court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify the driver. In the majority of these cases, courts may have decided to allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship.”

Number of drivers with 12 licence points by area

The following table reveals the top ten areas with the highest number of drivers who should be banned from the road.

Area	Drivers with more than 12 penalty points
Nottingham	180
Doncaster	174
Cardiff	173
Birmingham	169
Sheffield	156
Newcastle upon Tyne	145
Peterborough	144
Manchester	137
Norwich	136
Swansea	127

Are there any reasons why drivers should be allowed to continue driving with 12 points on their licence? Let us know what you think in the comments section below...

Martin Saarinen

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