More than 90,000 drivers on the brink of losing their licence – Advice for drivers with Accidents or Convictions
More than 90,000 drivers on the brink of losing their licences
New DVLA figures show that Britain has over 90,000 motorists with between 9 and 11 points on their licence. Consequently, all of these motorists are just one offence away from having their licence taken away.
Any motorists who accrue more than 12 points on their licence at a given time face a ban. In turn, anyone currently on 9 points or more is one simple three point speeding offence away from this. The statistics show that over 4,000 drivers are currently sitting on 11 points, leaving them right on the edge.
Drivers who accumulate 12 or more points on their licence are now at an even greater risk of being handed bans. This is a result of courts recently agreeing to come down harder on motorists who tot-up penalties.
New drivers should be particularly cautious because anyone of any age passing their first driving test is effectively ‘on probation’ for two years. If a new driver picks up 6 points in this time, they have to go back to learner status. This will involve the complete process of applying for a new provisional licence and taking the test again.
Most common offences
The DVLA also reported the 10 most common offences that result in points for licence holders. Speeding on public roads and motorways topped the list, followed by driving without insurance, using a phone at the wheel and running red lights.
It is important to remember that a lack of basic vehicle maintenance could also land you with points. The list includes defective tyres, blown headlight or brake light bulbs, cracked light covers, smeary windscreen wipers or worn suspension components.
For car maintenance tips please Click Here to read our guide.
Advice for Drivers with Accidents or Convictions
Do I need to disclose accidents or convictions to my insurer?
Yes, quite simply your insurance will be completely invalid if you don’t.
What impact will an accident or conviction have on my quote?
If you have points or convictions on your licence then you will be deemed to be at a higher risk of involvements in accidents. Generally a higher risk will mean a more expensive policy, however we aim to buck this trend by offering the same low cost cover for all of our customers.
How long do penalty points stay on my licence?
According to the DVLA most points on your licence are considered ‘live’ for a 3 year period. However, the points actually stay on your licence for 4 years before being automatically removed. In these cases, the date the points are counted from will usually be from the date the offence was committed.
Penalty points for more serious offences such as drink driving will unsurprisingly stay on your driving license longer and are usually considered ‘live’ for a 10 year period. In these particular cases this 10 year period begins from the conviction date rather than the date of the driving offence.
If you incur 12 penalty points or more on your licence then you will have your licence cancelled.
The DVLA will automatically remove the points after the set period, so there is no need to ask for this to be done.
Do I need to reapply for my licence?
You will be necessary to reapply for your licence if your licence has been revoked, or if you have been disqualified from driving.
When can I reapply for my licence?
When you are approaching the end of your driving ban, it will be necessary to reapply for your licence through the DVLA. If you are not sure when your ban ends, please follow this link to check your driving record online.
At what stage can I rearrange my insurance?
As soon as you are back in possession of your licence we can rearrange your insurance
At City Insurance we provide competitive insurance for drivers recently involved in accidents or with motoring or criminal convictions.
Cover we provide cover for includes; drink driving, drug driving, driving without insurance, speeding bans, plus much more. Whatever your driving history, we are confident of finding you a competitive quote.
For further information on our Accidents and Convictions insurance please Click Here
Would you like more info about the latest motoring developments or a cheaper car insurance quote? Call our friendly team who will be happy to help: 0345 017 9795
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Driver with police
