6 days ago
5 most common driving mistakes that will get you points on your licence
As the government considers toughening up penalties around driving, including not wearing a seatbelt, Yahoo News looks at the most common driving mistakes that will get you points on your licence.
Not wearing a seatbelt could result in tougher penalties as part of government plans to overhaul road safety.
As well as cutting the drink-drive limit in England and Wales and introducing mandatory eye tests for older drivers, ministers are also reportedly considering introducing tougher penalties for uninsured driving and those who fail to wear a seatbelt.
The proposals, set to be published as part of a road safety strategy in the autumn, have been welcomed by motoring groups as 'much overdue' and 'a step in the right direction'.
On Britain's roads last year, 1,633 people were killed and almost 28,000 seriously injured in traffic incidents, and numbers have remained relatively constant following a large fall between 2000 and 2010.
Edmund King, AA president, said: 'The time has come for a bold and proactive approach to road safety.
'This strategy is much overdue as road deaths have plateaued over the last decade.
'We believe these new measures will not only modernise our approach to saving lives but also provide renewed momentum in making our roads safer for everyone.'
The RAC outlines common offences that can occur points on your license - and potentially harsher punishments too.
Speeding
According to the RAC, speeding is one of the most common driving offences in the UK.
The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 and three penalty points on your licence, though you could be offered a speed awareness course if it's your first offence and your speed is not deemed excessively over the limit.
If you exceed the speed limit by more than 11mph, you may be summoned to court and face a hefty fine and six penalty points. Break the limit by more than 21mph, and you could be hit with a driving ban.
It is sometimes suggested that drivers are only prosecuted when exceeding the speed limit by 10% plus 2mph, but police aren't required to stick to this rigidly so you should never assume you have any leeway and should stick to the speed limit, otherwise you face a fine and points.
Driving without due care and attention
Driving without due care and attention, also known as careless driving, covers a number of offences, from showing poor lane discipline on the motorway to driving too close to another vehicle, the RAC says.
Police can hand out on-the-spot £100 fines and three penalty points for the offence, though more serious cases may go to court and result in a large fine and disqualification.
According to the RAC website, if someone is involved in a fatal crash and found to be responsible for a momentary lack of concentration that led to the incident, they could be prosecuted for causing death by careless driving, which can result in a driving ban, an unlimited fine, or a prison sentence of up to five years.
Using a mobile phone while driving
It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving a car, including while sitting in traffic.
The penalty for using a phone while driving is six penalty points and a £200 fine, but if you passed your test within the last two years, using a phone will result in a driving ban.
You can use a mobile if it's connected to an approved 'hands-free' device but the RAC recommends that you avoid making any calls at all to ensure you are alert and aware whilst driving.
Driving without insurance
If you drive a vehicle without insurance on a public road and are found out - which can happen if you trigger a police ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) camera - you could find yourself hit with a roadside penalty of £300 and six penalty points on your licence.
Police could also seize your vehicle as its uninsured.
In addition, if your case goes to court, you could be hit with an unlimited fine and a driving ban.
Driving without an MOT
Similarly to insurance, if your car doesn't have a current MOT and is flagged by an ANPR camera, you could end up with points on your licence.
Usually, you'll be handed a £100 on-the-spot fine, and receive no penalty points, though if the case goes to court, it could result in a fine of up to £1,000.
However, if your vehicle is found to be unroadworthy, you can be hit with a fine and points on your licence for each fault discovered such as an illegal tyre or defective brakes.
This means each fault could land you with a £100 fine and three points per fault.
If your car has four tyres below the 1.6mm legal tread-depth, you face a £400 fine and 12 penalty points (which could result in a driving ban).
This applies to any unroadworthy vehicle – even if it has a valid MOT - the RAC says.
