Overview
- The DVLA figures, published Tuesday, show 4,154 people in Britain are still legally allowed to drive despite exceeding the 12-point 'totting up' threshold, including 117 with more than 20 speeding points and two with 43 and 45 points.
- Under the totting up rule, drivers who get 12 or more points within three years usually face a six-month ban but magistrates can avoid a ban if they find it would cause 'exceptional hardship' such as loss of employment or care duties.
- The RAC and the Stop Excessive Speeders campaign are calling for courts to be given statutory power to order Intervening Intelligent Speed Assistance (IISA) fittings for repeat or excessive speeders as an alternative to lifting bans.
- Intervening ISA actively prevents a vehicle from exceeding speed limits while still allowing defined emergency overrides that are logged for later review, which campaigners contrast with the Government’s current focus on advisory ISA that only alerts drivers.
- Campaigners point to strong public backing and a parliamentary event this week as the next steps to press ministers for legal change, with ministers needing to amend guidance or law to allow courts to mandate IISA.