-1/01/2008

As many as 73,000 disqualified novice drivers could have returned to the road illegally over the past decade, according to figures obtained by Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker

A record number of newly qualified drivers –160,000 – have been banned under the New Drivers Act since its introduction in June 1997.

The law automatically revokes the licences of drivers who run up six penalty points in their first two years on the road, meaning that have to retake their driving test.

Yet officially records show that since the law came into force, only about half of those banned have subsequently taken and passed their retest.

MPs fear that many of those who have not done so – about 7,000 a year of 73,506 since the Act was introduced – are now driving illegally without a valid licence. Often their vehicle is also not taxed or uninsured.

Mr Baker said: “A disturbingly large number of disqualified drivers don’t take the test. It is highly unlikely they are all not driving. But if they are, they are doing so illegally. This loophole is driving a coach and horses through the law and must be plugged.”

(Daily Mail)
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