Learner driver clocks up 51 POINTS on her licence - but is still on the road because court decided NOT to ban her

  • An Oxford woman who has 51 points on her licence is still allowed to drive
  • A court 'exercised its discretion' and decided against banning her 
  • She topped the list of motorists who have more than 12 points on their licence and are not disqualified from driving in the UK

By KALHAN ROSENBLATT FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

A court has decided to let a learner driver stay on the road despite having 51 points on her licence.

The driver racked up three speeding offences in a 30mph zone and seven offences of not providing driver details, which earned her the 51 points.

The court 'exercised its discretion' and decided against banning the Oxford woman.

A learner driver with 51 points on her licence is on the road after a court decided not to ban her (file picture)

A learner driver with 51 points on her licence is on the road after a court decided not to ban her (file picture)

The driver topped the list of motorists who have more than 12 points on their licence yet have not disqualified.

Thirteen motorists have racked up 28 points or more, according to DVLA figures.

Last year Essex Driver Alex McFarlane escaped a driving ban despite having 42 points on his licence. 

The 50-year-old was caught speeding six times in three months and pleaded guilty at Southend Magistrates' Court.

Magistrates awarded six points for each offence - but allowed him to keep his licence after he argued that he would lose his job and be unable to pay debts if he was banned.  

A motorist from Basildon also earned 42 points for seven offences including driving at 109mph. They avoided a ban because their lawyer argued they would suffer 'extreme hardship' through a loss of income if disqualified.

In Liverpool, another driver also has 42 points thanks to five counts of not reporting the driver of a vehicle and two for speeding.

The numbers of drivers with 12 or more points has gone up by 9 per cent, from 6,884 to 7,517, in just seven months between March and October 2015.

Alex McFarlane, 50, earned 42 points on his licence but was able to keep driving because he told  a court he was in debt and would not be able to pay it off if he was banned from the road

Alex McFarlane, 50, earned 42 points on his licence but was able to keep driving because he told  a court he was in debt and would not be able to pay it off if he was banned from the road

Around 90 per cent of the motorists driving on the road with 12 or more points have been allowed by a court.

HAUL OF SHAME: WORST DRIVERS  
PLACE POINTS
1. OXFORD
 51
2. LIVERPOOL 42 
3. BASILDON  42 
4. WIGAN 39
5. BURNLEY
38
6. NORTHAMPTON33
7. SW LONDON33
8. SHEFFIELD30
9. SOUTHEND-ON-SEA30
10. SLOUGH30

When a motorist has more than 12 points the courts are told by the DVLA and a punishment is then decided .

A spokesperson for the DVLA said: 'In a small percentage of cases where the driver has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, the agency understands that a court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify the driver.

'In the majority of these cases, magistrates may have decided to allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship.'

Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer, said the wider public may see the laws of the road as 'ineffective and unimportant'.

She said: 'The IAM has been highlighting this issue for several years now and we appreciate that the flow of information between the DVLA and the courts is slowly improving, which will allow the courts to make better decisions while armed with the full facts.

'However these improvements cannot come quickly enough to deliver a truly joined-up approach to the judicial process. Individual courts making decision on prosecutions can lead to inconsistency in how the law is applied which risks devaluing the simple '12 points and you're out' road safety message.

'If the public sees that persistent offenders are getting away with it, they may believe that road traffic rules - which let not us not forget, are designed for their safety - are ineffective or unimportant.'

When a driver has more than 12 points on their licence it is up to a court to decide if they can stay on the road

When a driver has more than 12 points on their licence it is up to a court to decide if they can stay on the road

 

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