Totting Up Driving Ban / 12 Penalty Points

Totting Up Driving Ban / 12 Penalty Points

The driving ban penalty points system was introduced in an attempt to provide the Courts with another method of punishing motorists apart from the original fine and driving ban option.

In this way, the Court could endorse a person’s driving licence with the number of points it felt appropriate, given the severity of the offence.

It also allowed the introduction of a system that was able to monitor the effect the punishments were having, resulting in a driving ban for the potential motorists who continued to commit driving offences on a regular basis.

How many points will I receive for a motoring offence?

Accident Offences
Code	Offence	Penalty Points
AC10	Failing to stop after an accident	5–10
AC20	Failing to give particulars or to report an accident within 24 hours	5–10
AC30	Undefined accident offences	4–9
Disqualified Driver
BA10	Driving whilst disqualified by order of court	6
BA30	Attempting to drive while disqualified by order of court	6
Careless Driving
CD10	Driving without due care and attention	3–9
CD30	Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users	3–9
CD40	Causing death through careless driving when unfit through drink	3–11
CD60	Causing death by careless driving with alcohol level above the limit	3–11
CD70	Causing death by careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for analysis	3–11
Reckless/Dangerous Driving
DD40	Dangerous Driving	3–11
DD60	Manslaughter or culpable homicide while driving a vehicle	3–11
DD80	Causing death by dangerous driving	3–11
Insurance Offences
IN10	Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks	6–8
Speed Limits
SP10	Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits	3–6
SP20	Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles)	3–6
SP30	Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road	3–6
SP40	Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit	3–6
SP50	Exceeding speed limit on a motorway	3–6
SP60	Undefined speed limit offence	3

A totting up driving ban (otherwise known as a penalty point ban) is when you are disqualified from driving under Section 35 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.

This section states that if you accumulate 12 points on your licence and all the offences occur within three years of each other (the date on which you are convicted or sentenced is irrelevant) you are liable for disqualification from driving for a minimum period of 6 months.

If you have had a previous totting up ban within the 3 years preceding the latest offence, then the minimum period is 12 months. If you have had 2 totting bans within the proceeding 3 years, then the minimum ban is 2 years.

If you reach the stage where you have reached 12 points on your licence then the Totting Up driving ban procedure will apply.

You will be required to attend court where, in accordance with section 35 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, you will face a totting up driving ban from driving.

A totting up driving ban can only be imposed at a court hearing and court guidelines state that the minimum amount of time you should be disqualified from driving for is 6 months.

However, if you have received a previous totting up  driving ban within 3 years of your latest offence the minimum driving ban you are likely to face is 12 months.

Similarly, if you have received two totting up  driving bans in the three years preceding your latest offence you are likely to face a minimum driving ban of two years.