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The cost of motoring offences
The law governing poor driving practices such as speeding or driving while talking on your mobile phone are designed to reduce the risk of accidents and should be adhered to for your own safety and that of others. But aside from the danger, bad driving can also be costly.
Counting the cost
For the least serious offences you are likely to receive just a fine. If you are caught not wearing a seatbelt or talking on a mobile phone while driving, for example, you may receive a one-off fine called a fixed penalty notice, usually £30.
More serious offences such as speeding usually result in a £60 fine, or more, and you may get penalty points on your licence. The points system operates on a sliding scale depending on how serious the offence is.
If you accumulate 12 or more points within a three-year period, you will be disqualified from driving for a minimum of six months - although it can be longer if you have been disqualified before.
For any drink-related misdemeanors you will be disqualified immediately for a year, regardless of whether you have accumulated any other points or not. This disqualification can be much longer if you have already been found guilty of a similar offence previously.
In addition to the points system, more serious driving offences can also result in imprisonment. The court also has the power to disqualify you before you accumulate 12 points if it thinks an offence on its own merits disqualification.
For new drivers the rules are even stricter. If you accumulate six or more points within two years of passing your test, your licence will be revoked and you will then have to apply for another provisional licence and pass both a theory and practical test again.
