There are a variety of convictions that can result in penalty points on your licence. This can then cause issues not just to safety but result in a driving ban too.

The following article will outline some of the offences that will earn you points, how many, and how you can avoid them.

What are penalty points on your licence?

Penalty points are earned as a result of being convicted of a motoring offence; the court will fine you and then endorse your driving record with said points. These endorsements will then stay on your driving record for anywhere from 4 to 11 years, dependent on the offence committed.

The number of points you have will impact the cost of your insurance, your ability to rent cars, and more. You will also be disqualified from driving if you build up twelve or more points within a 3-year period.

This differs slightly for new drivers, who will have their licence revoked if they get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing their test. Any points earned while on a provisional licence will also be transferred to a full licence once it is attained. If 6 points are gained within 2 years and a licence is revoked, both theory and practical driving tests will have to be taken again.

What driving offences get penalty points?

There are lots of different offences that will result in points on your licence, and the number of points they warrant also varies depending on the conviction.

These offences are categorised, with just some including accident, drunk driving, insurance, and licence offences.
For an accident offence, whether that be failing to stop after an accident or failing to report the accident, you could be given between 5 to 10 penalty points.

Points aren’t only given if an accident is caused but if you are driving in a dangerous vehicle, for example, if you have defective brakes, tyres or steering, this is worth 3 penalty points per offence.

How to avoid penalty points on your license

While accidents can happen to anyone, there are a variety of things you can do to avoid getting penalty points on your licence.

Maintenance

Firstly, practising safe driving and actively maintaining the health of your car is the best place to start. From regularly checking your lights to shopping for new tyres online, you should be conscious of how your car is running and fix any problems as soon as they occur.

Admin

From MOT and service, to insurance, it can often feel like the admin involved in owning a car is never-ending. While this can be hard to keep up with, making sure you do will help you avoid penalty points. Add reoccurring calendar reminders for everything car related to make sure that you keep up to date.

Education

The highway code is subject to change, so make sure you are aware of any new changes that may impact how you drive, such as right of way on the roads, to reduce your chances of getting points on your licence.