Those found guilty of driving-related offences might find themselves handed a range of penalties. For minor speeding offences, a few points on your license, along with a fine, might be considered enough to get the message across.
For more serious or persistent offenders, an outright driving ban is a popular measure. In the UK, around one in every 431 license holders are disqualified, which amounts to 139,751 people.
What Happens When You are Disqualified from Driving?
To be disqualified from driving, you will need to either be banned outright, or rack up twelve or more penalty points within a three-year timeframe. When this happens, you aren’t legally allowed to drive on British roads. If you do, you could face a range of much more serious legal penalties. You could be fined up to £5,000, given a community service order, or imprisoned for up to twelve months.
How long does a driving ban last?
The length of your ban will be determined largely by how you’ve picked it up. If you’re getting banned because of points, then the ban will usually last for six months – unless you’ve got a second disqualification within three years of the first, in which case it will go up to twelve months. If you manage to get a third disqualification, the ban could go up to 24 months.
If you’ve been banned from driving because of a single offence, then the length of the ban can vary considerably. In some cases, you could find yourself banned for life.
Generally speaking, if you’re disqualified for more than 56 days, you’ll need to apply for a new license before driving again. This might also mean re-taking the driving test. The court will tell you whether this is necessary.
Which Part of the UK is Home to the Most Dangerous Drivers?
According to data from the DVLA, the most dangerous part of the UK as far as dangerous driving is concerned is Bradford, where around one in 191 drivers are banned. Liverpool is second on one in 204, and Teesside is third on one in 231.
Nicholas Shaw, Director of Operations at temporary car insurance provider, Dayinsure, submitted the freedom of information request that resulted in these revelations. He had the following to say: “While the vast majority of UK motorists comply with the law, it is still alarming to see that so many motorists have been disqualified from driving due to dangerous and careless driving.
“The data highlights how vital it is for motorists to take extra care and attention when driving, as you never know what other road users might be doing – you sadly cannot just assume that others will drive as carefully as you would.
“Our final piece of advice would be to ensure that you are fully insured in case worse comes to worse and you are involved in an accident.”