New research from insurance price comparison website Confused.com has found that there are currently nearly 54,000 learner drivers in the UK who have penalty points on their provisional licence.
The findings, obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, reveal that learner drivers are racking up penalty points for motoring offences before officially passing their driving test. According to official figures 53,988 provisional licence holders have valid penalty points on their licence, meaning they have committed a motoring offence whilst still learning to drive.
Further research from Confused.com reveals that more than a third of UK drivers have received penalty points at some point for a motoring offence. Of these offenders, more than a fifth accumulated these points before they had officially passed their driving test.
The majority of these learner drivers (60 per cent) were caught speeding, followed by jumping a red light (43 per cent). Nearly a third was caught driving without insurance, while one in six was charged with driving carelessly.
Almost three in ten were unaware that they get penalty points before officially passing their driving test, while a further 40 per cent 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 reveals that a third of people 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 ten arguing that they should also take the points for the learner.
Gemma Stanbury, head of car insurance at Confused.com comments: “We’re aware that people might make mistakes along the way as they learn to drive, however practising road safety is an important part of the process, and picking up bad habits such as speeding or jumping lights before officially passing your driving test is never a good way to start.
“It’s concerning that a considerable number of motorists were unaware that they could get penalty points on their licence before officially passing their test. Not only could these points contribute to their licence being revoked if they accumulate six points in any way within the first two years of driving, but they could also lead to increased insurance premiums when they are able to get back behind the wheel.”
6187 Institute of Advanced Motorists’ 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."
The findings, obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, reveal that learner drivers are racking up penalty points for motoring offences before officially passing their driving test. According to official figures 53,988 provisional licence holders have valid penalty points on their licence, meaning they have committed a motoring offence whilst still learning to drive.
Further research from Confused.com reveals that more than a third of UK drivers have received penalty points at some point for a motoring offence. Of these offenders, more than a fifth accumulated these points before they had officially passed their driving test.
The majority of these learner drivers (60 per cent) were caught speeding, followed by jumping a red light (43 per cent). Nearly a third was caught driving without insurance, while one in six was charged with driving carelessly.
Almost three in ten were unaware that they get penalty points before officially passing their driving test, while a further 40 per cent 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 reveals that a third of people 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 ten arguing that they should also take the points for the learner.
Gemma Stanbury, head of car insurance at Confused.com comments: “We’re aware that people might make mistakes along the way as they learn to drive, however practising road safety is an important part of the process, and picking up bad habits such as speeding or jumping lights before officially passing your driving test is never a good way to start.
“It’s concerning that a considerable number of motorists were unaware that they could get penalty points on their licence before officially passing their test. Not only could these points contribute to their licence being revoked if they accumulate six points in any way within the first two years of driving, but they could also lead to increased insurance premiums when they are able to get back behind the wheel.”
