Whatever you do, don’t commit a driving offence without know how the points system works. When you think about it, getting points for something is generally a good thing, but not for driving.
Good old penalty points
In short, points can be added to your driving licence if you break the law on the road. It’s common sense, you do something naughty, you must suffer the consequences and when it comes to driving, points it is!
Different offences carry various penalties and if you collect enough points over time, then be prepared to potentially receive a driving ban. To be banned from doing something makes you want to go and do it, even more, probably best we don’t let it get this far.
If you commit a driving offence, it’s serious as you know. Driving requires so much concentration and one wrong move could result in some serious injury so it’s not surprising that the consequences for a driving offence are either a fixed penalty notice or being prosecuted in court. Both of these can result in points being added to your licence too.
If you ever receive any points or you have done in the past, this is basically the laws way of saying that you are a dangerous driver and should be prevented from using the roads. If you continue to gain points and you just keep hammering for them until you get to 12, you could be disqualified from driving for up to three years! Three whole years.
If things couldn’t get any worse, if you’re a new driver then you’re considered to be even more of a risk on the road and even fewer points are required for a driving ban. The worst part of all is that these points don’t go away, at least not for at least 4 years anyway, depending on the offence you’ve committed.
What do you get points for?
You can probably get points on your driving licence for most things these days. Some of the most common ones are:
- Speeding
- Driving without due care and attention
- Using your mobile phone
- Driving while disqualifies; and
- Drink or drug-driving offences
If you commit one or more offences, then the fate of your points lies in the authorities hands and however many points you receive, these will be attached to your licence.
How do driving bans work?
If you’ve ever had a driving ban before, fingers crossed you haven’t but if so, then you’ll already know this. It’s not what we motorists want to hear, but you may have to retake your driving test so that you can get back out on the road. We know, what a nightmare. If not this, then at the very least you might have to apply for a new licence after a six-month ban via this points system.
How do you find out if you have any points on your licence?
The question we probably all want to know the answer to if we don’t already. As with everything else these days, you’ll be able to check if you have any penalty points online.
If you head over to the UK Government website, have your licence details and National Insurance number to hand, you’ll be able to find out how many points if any, that you have on your licence.
