51 OVER BAN LIMIT DRIVERS MAY STILL BE ON ROAD
‘MOCKERY OF POINTS SYSTEM’ – CAMPAIGNER
Fifty-one motorists may still be on Wearside’s roads despite clocking up at least 12 penalty points, shock figures reveal.
The worst two offenders have 18 points each, and six other drivers on 15 points are also believed to have escaped bans.
A further 37 have 12 points, four have 13 points and two have 14 points, latest statistics from the DVLA show.
Fifty-one motorists may still be on Wearside’s roads despite clocking up at least 12 penalty points, shock figures reveal.
The worst two offenders have 18 points each, and six other drivers on 15 points are also believed to have escaped bans.
A further 37 have 12 points, four have 13 points and two have 14 points, latest statistics from the DVLA show.
All would have faced magistrates to plead their case, but it is not known how they avoided disqualification.
Today the decision to allow drivers with 12 or more points to carry on driving – taken by the courts – was slammed by road safety charity Brake.
Director of Campaigns Jason Wakeford said: “Allowing dangerous drivers to stay on the road makes a total mockery of the points system.
“These are irresponsible individuals who have shown disregard for the law and the lives of other road users, time after time.
“People who clock up over 12 points should face an automatic ban .”
The Crown Prosecution Service said a decision to allow someone to drive after reaching 12 points was a judicial decision rather than one taken by its prosecutors.
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, which represents England’s courts service, could not comment on the sentences given by a magistrate in a specific case.
Figures from the DVLA, the UK’s driving licensing agency, show another 22 Wearside drivers are just one point from a possible ban.
In all, 8,168, have three points, 2,256 have six points and 352 have nine points.
A further 301 have an assortment of points between four and 10.
The most drivers with points – 1,957 – live in the SR3 postcode area, which includes Doxford Park, Silksworth, Farringdon and Ryhope.
A further 1,451 live in the SR6 postcode, which includes parts of Sunderland, as well as Cleadon and Whitburn.
In neighbouring Boldon, one male motorist, aged between 35 and 53, is revealed as having 39 penalty points.