54,000 learner drivers have points

54,000 LEARNER DRIVERS have received penalty points on their licences before even passing the driving test. This equates to 22% of all learner drivers on the road and the majority (60%) are for speeding offences.

Other common causes for learner drivers to accumulate penalty points on their provisional licence include jumping a red light (43%), driving without insurance (33% and driving carelessly (15%).

A third of learner drivers (29%) said they were unaware they could be given penalty points while still a learner. A further 40% of drivers were oblivious to the fact that if they reached six or more penalty points in the first two years of passing their test, their licence would be revoked.

The research by confused.com reveals that a third of people (33%) believe that the co-driver or driving instructor should be held responsible for any motoring offences committed by a learner driver, more than one in 10 (12%) arguing that they should also take the points for the learner.

However, it is illegal for anyone other than the driver to take the penalty points or conviction on their behalf. The law is clear that if a motoring offence is committed then the driver is liable for any penalty, such as points on their licence or attending an awareness course, even if they are a learner.

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said: ‘It is incredibly shocking that so many new drivers are accumulating points especially before officially passing their test. The one positive aspect is that bad driving is being spotted and prosecuted. Attitudes to driving are set from a very young age so parents have a key role to play in preventing their child becoming an accident statistic.’

By Press Association reporters