Motorists with up to 19 points '˜escaping bans'

Analysis of DVLA data reveals that 22 drivers in the Scarborough area ‘have managed to dodge a ban’ after being given 12 or more penalty points on their licence – the usual threshold for losing a licence.

Road safety charity Brake has slammed the current system, which it says is allowing “repeat offenders” to exploit loopholes in the law.

It has accused the Government and courts of being “complicit” in putting the public at risk.

Currently, if a driver can convince a magistrate that they, or an innocent party such as a family member, will face ‘exceptional hardship’ as a result of losing their licence they may be permitted to keep it.

The latest figures, which record penalty points as of July, show there are almost 11,000 drivers across Great Britain who have retained their licences despite passing the points limit, some with more than 40 or 50 points.

In Scarborough the highest number of points received by one driver who is still allowed to drive is 19.

The data is recorded by postcode district, so some drivers could live just across the border in neighbouring local authority areas.

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns at Brake, said it is “hugely concerning” that so many offenders are being allowed to keep driving.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “The vast majority of drivers who get 12 penalty points are automatically disqualified.

“The courts have access to DVLA records which are taken into account, but sentencing is rightly a matter for independent judges based on the facts of each case.”

John Bache, chair of the Magistrates Association, added: “The process for establishing exceptional hardship is robust – magistrates scrutinise every case very carefully.”