IAM Calls For More To Be Done To Tackle Offending Motorists

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has called for more to be done to crack down on drivers who have accumulated more than 12 penalty points, after research revealed numerous worrying cases including that of a Liverpool man who chalked up 45 points last year.

Following a Freedom of Information request, it was revealed the unnamed man accrued the record total for failing to disclose the identity of the driver or exceeding the statutory speed limit on a public road between October 2012 and June 2013.

A Warrington man had the second-highest total with 36 points, which were acquired through being caught driving without insurance six times in less than two weeks.

Other persistent offenders identified included a Lincoln woman with 34 points who was caught speeding three times and who also failed to give information to identify the driver four times between January and September 2012, as well as a Hull woman caught speeding eight times within a two month period in 2011.

Simon Best, chief executive of the IAM, said the organisation highlighted a case in which a driver had accumulated 42 points on their license in September and asked for more to be done to address the issue.

He added: “DVLA must rapidly overhaul their systems and working relationships with the courts to ensure that the whole principle of 12 points and you are off the road is not undermined.
 
“Any suggestion that some drivers may be able to speed with impunity and then talk themselves out of a ban puts our whole approach to enforcement into question.”

Expert Opinion

While a key part of encouraging and promoting awareness of road safety is campaigning with the right message, a similarly important step is ensuring that irresponsible motorists who are flouting rules and failing to meet their responsibilities are held to account. <br/> <br/>"We have seen numerous cases where people have had their lives catastrophically transformed by the actions of dangerous drivers and it is vital to remember that taking action against such people plays a part in efforts to reduce the number of people killed or injured on UK roads. <br/> <br/>"This research is a wake-up call on this issue and it is vital that authorities take the necessary steps to ensure that those who are regularly found to be breaking the law are prevented from driving." Stephen Nye - Partner