Driving Licences revoked in 2018

Driving Licences revoked last year 11953 after getting 6 Penalty Points

Dozens of new drivers had their licence revoked on a daily basis in 2018

Figures obtained via a freedom of information request to the DVLA – show 11,953 drivers had their licence revoked under the New Drivers Act last year, an average of 33 per day.

The legislation states  drivers who get six or more penalty points within two years of passing their test have their licence revoked  If they wish to drive again, they are required to :

·         Re-apply and pay for a new provisional licence and

·         Pass their theory test again, the multiple and hazard perception

·          Practical parts of the driving or riding test again.

 Drivers aged 17-24 years made up almost two thirds (62%) of the total number of licences revoked.

Road Safety Charity Brake is calling on government to do more to ensure young drivers are safe on the roads.

It is also calling for the introduction of a comprehensive Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system across the UK. The Government’s announcement that they will explore the issue of GDL further is welcome, but  Swift and decisive action must be taken quickly to introduce GDL across the UK, as a priority to ensure new drivers have the skills and experience they need and to end this tragedy of young people dying on our roads.”

Student Drivers urged to drive when Tired and with overloaded cars

Take Care loading your Car -
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StudentsDrivers are reminded to make sure they have loaded their vehicle correctly and carried out basic vehicle checks before setting off to college or university this Freshers season’ 

Highways England is urging those travelling away to study for the first time to make sure they don’t overload their vehicle and to avoid getting behind the wheel while tired. 

Highways England surveyed more than 1400 students ahead of starting  Freshers season. Highways England is the organisation responsible for running England’s major A-road and motorway network. The survey shows

·         6 out of 10 students would carry on driving, even if they may have overloaded their car.

·         7 out of 10 students have driven while tired. 

With many young people likely to be moving away from home to university accommodation, Highways England is calling on students to ‘check it before driving it’ and says people should avoid packing everything .

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said:  

“We want everyone to get to their destination safely and we can all play a part in that. We know that this is an incredibly exciting time for students with many leaving home for the first time. 

“Our traffic officers are there to help get things moving if there’s a problem. But we’d urge all students to make sure they load their car correctly before setting off as they could be endangering themselves and other road users.” 

Advice for loading vehicles correctly, includes:   

• Place heavy luggage on the boot floor, directly behind the rear seat backrest so that it can’t move or fall over in to the free space.  
• Put light luggage on top of the large cases and cover it with a blanket and secure it all with a strap otherwise loose objects can turn into dangerous projectiles, especially if the luggage exceeds the height of the rear seat. 
• Heavy luggage can be safely stored in the space between the front and rear seats.  
• Store small and light objects that you do not necessarily need while driving behind the front seat or in vacuum bags which fit neatly into the storage space under the seats.  
• Put anything particularly heavy in the boot and not unrestrained on the back seat and secure the load if carrying anything externally on the car eg a roof box or bike. 

• Drivers should still be able to see in their mirrors when driving.  
• If people aren’t sure about the car’s official weight limit they should check their handbook. If they feel they are close to the limit they can go to a weighbridge to check.  
• Drivers should make sure they have the right insurance, especially if using other people’s vehicles and are sharing the driving or towing a trailer 

Highways England traffic officer Kelly Rudge is keen all students take time to make sure their vehicles are loaded properly and are ready to take to the road. 

Kelly said: “It’s really important that students check their vehicle before setting off and to make sure that they don’t overload them as it could cause serious danger to themselves and other motorists.  

“Simple things like putting heavy loads in the boot and keeping loose items inside the car secured can all help to keep the occupants safe if the vehicle comes to a sudden stop. The last thing anyone wants is to be hit by an object that isn’t secure.” 

Yellow Box Kunctions

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Drivers views over Yellow Box Junctions

While some councils are apparently keen to have additional powers to catch drivers who stop in yellow box junctions, new RAC research suggests 80% of motorists struggle to get through them without stopping

RAC survey found, 67% of respondents had difficulty getting through ‘some’ yellow boxes without stopping, while 13% said this is the case for ‘most’ of the junctions they encounter.

78% of those who experienced difficulty said the problem is very often caused by poor sequencing of traffic lights.

32% blame their infringement on the fact so many other drivers break the rules that it forces them to do the same.

However, 13% of respondents said every yellow box junction is ‘easy to negotiate’ without coming to a halt.

At the moment,  only local authorities in London and Cardiff are able to enforce yellow box junctions with cameras, and issue Penalty Charge Notice (PCNs).

However, many more councils in England and Wales would like to use cameras to enforce these road junctions.

The RAC says declining number of roads policing officers means there is currently little or no enforcement of the offence in other areas – leading to calls for a roll-out of camera enforcement.

36% of respondents to the RAC survey believe councils should be able to issue PCNs – while an additional 36% agreed they ought to have the power, but should limit enforcement only to problem junctions.

RAC spokesperson, said: “Our research shows yellow box junctions are a very divisive issue with drivers.

“While the majority are in favour of councils more widely being allowed to use cameras to catch offenders, there is a strong feeling that many junctions are not set up fairly which leads to drivers having no choice but stop in them, whether that’s due to poor traffic light sequencing, poor design or being used in the wrong place.

“The RAC is generally supportive of local authorities having the power to enforce yellow box junctions because of the value of local knowledge, but has concerns that it could lead to local authorities being inconsistent in their application of road traffic law.

“There is also a risk that cash-strapped authorities may see it as a lucrative revenue stream. To prevent this, we think warning letters for a first contravention would be appropriate.

“We therefore believe it is essential that every  yellow Box Junction where a camera is installed is comprehensively tested to ensure it is easy to negotiate without stopping.”