Penalty point swap shop

New FOI data obtained by Confused.com reveals nearly three million motorists** currently have penalty points on their licence, with 70,158 currently holding nine points – just three points off a potential ban. Should 12 points be accumulated by a driver then they are usually disqualified from driving altogether.

And according to additional research commissioned by the leading price comparison website, it’s clear that some drivers are willing to go to extreme lengths to rid themselves of the penalties and dodge a potential ban. One in 16 motorists (6%) have asked a friend or relative to take penalty points for them, with a shocking one in twenty (5%) motorists admitting to having actually paid someone to take their penalty points for them.

Of those who admit to falsely swapping penalty points, more than half have done so three times or more (59%), suggesting that many motorists are adopting a cavalier attitude to the practise.

The most common reason cited by motorists for asking someone to take their points is to keep a clean licence (48%), while a quarter (25%) admit they asked someone else to take their points because they were facing a driving ban.

More than a third of motorists (34%) have received penalty points at some point for a motoring offence, with the majority of these points being handed out for speeding (80%). It has been nearly two years (11th March 2013) since former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce were sentenced to prison terms for perverting the course of justice after they lied about swapping speeding points.

Worryingly, more than one in 10 motorists (11%) are unaware that it is illegal to take penalty for a friend or relative, with nearly three quarters (72%) of those who said they would take someone else’s points admitting that they would do so for their partner. They would also be willing to take points for their children (37%), parents (35%) and siblings (22%).

More than a third of those who have taken points for someone else (37%) said that they did so because the driver in question could have lost their job. However, it’s not always a self-less act, as a similar number of people (36%) said they took someone else’s points because they were paid to do so.

And it would seem that some professions are more inclined to swap points, with motorists in the hospitality industry topping the list (26%) followed by those who work in the property (17%) and research industries (11%). Furthermore swapping penalties seems to be more prevalent amongst younger motorists with 15% of drivers aged 18-24 admitting to asking friends/family to take penalty points, compared to 7% of 35-44 year olds.

With only just over half (54%) of those who have swapped points admitting to being caught, perhaps it is not surprising to learn that 15% of motorists believe that the penalty points system is not fit for purpose. As a result, 39% of motorists are calling for those who swap penalty points to face criminal prosecution.

Legally, motorists are obliged to inform their insurers that they have points on their licence, however many are failing to do so, with more than one in six motorists (16%) admitting they haven’t informed their insurer they have points.

Upon further analysis of the FOI data obtained, it emerges there is currently a motorist still on the road, despite having 45 points on their licence (9 for speeding offences and 36 for failing to disclose the identity of the vehicle driver). This is a result of a loophole within the current point system which states that an MS90 offence (failing to disclose the identity of the vehicle driver) is not something that a driver can be disqualified for.*** It is therefore perhaps understandable why many people may be calling the current points system in to question.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists comments: “It’s appalling and rather concerning that so many people are paying others to take their penalty points. 

“Not only is this putting other road users at risk of bans, it also means drivers who are prone to speeding remain on the roads when they could well be facing bans.

“As well as tightening up fraud detection, more education and retraining courses covering a wider range of traffic offences would make our roads safer for everyone.”

Gemma Stanbury, Head of Motor Insurance at Confused.com comments: '”It's concerning to see that one in 20 motorists (5%) admit to taking on a friend or relative’s penalty points. Avoiding penalty points for a motoring offence means many drivers who are prone to offences, such as speeding, remain on the roads, where they may pose a risk to others. Penalty points are designed to deter drivers from repeatedly breaking the law and to penalise those who do.

“The Police are aware that there are drivers on the roads who are illegally swapping points, and motorists should remember that the Police have direct access to DVLA data where they can look at anyone’s driving record to compare photos. It can be easy for the Police to match photos using DVLA information, and to ascertain whether the person taking points is the vehicle’s driver.

“Incurring multiple sets of penalty points can result in motoring fines, increased insurance premiums, and even disqualification from driving, so motorists should always drive safely and responsibly when on the roads.”