You don’t want to get banned from driving.

You can lose your driving licence for totting up more than 12 points in a given time period. If you have passed your test recently after taking driving lessons in Nottingham then you are given a probationary period of 2 years from the day you passed your test. Introduced in 1995 and commonly known as the six point rule, a person can lose their licence for gaining 6 points within this period. If you had points on your provisional license then these will be carried over on to your full licence, giving you even less points to play with. Here are 12 ways to fall foul of the points system.

1. Breaking the speed limit is one of the most common reasons people lose their licence. You’ll get three points and a fine of £100. Make sure you look ahead and see the speed limit signs. Check your speedometer regularly using tiny glances to keep a check on your speed. If you go to court to contest the offence and you are in the wrong the points could be doubled to six and you can be fined up to £1000
2. Fail to stop at a pedestrian crossing and it could be 3 points and a fine of up to £1000. This would most likely occur at a Zebra crossing where there aren’t any traffic lights. Make sure you scan the crossing as you drive up to it and slow down early if there is someone near it. Make sure you stop if you think someone may intend to cross.
3. Using a mobile phone while driving is so common these days. Way too many drivers can be seen on the phone, not even trying to hide what they are doing. If caught using a phone at the wheel you’ll get 3 points and a £100 fine. Not good. You will almost certainly go to jail if you crash while texting and kill someone. Make sure your phone is on silent and pull over in a safe place if you need to use it.
4. Dangerous overtaking is another way to get points. You might think it’s OK to overtake and then run out of space very quickly if you misjudged it. Always plan the whole manoeuvre in advance. You’ll need enough time to get around the vehicle and return to your own side without breaking the speed limit. Overtaking dangerously is considered  as driving without due care and attention. It could get you 3 – 9 points and a fine of up to £2500.
5. The cost of insurance has sky-rocketed in the last few years. It’s tempting to put off getting insurance if you have a relatively cheap car which doesn’t cost as much as the premium. The consequences are serious for driving without insurance. A fine of up to £5000 and 6 – 8 points. You could also be banned indefinitely and be forced to retake both the theory and practical test.
6. Drink and drug driving is perhaps the most serious of all these offences. People are killed or seriously injured by drivers under the influence. You will get a guaranteed 12 month ban. You can also be jailed for up to 6 months and fined £5000. Don’t drive if you’ve been drinking or you’ve taken anything. Simple as that. This is not something you want to mess with.
7. Failing to stop after an accident is another serious offence. If you have been involved in an accident you MUST stop. Even if you think it’s not that serious and nobody seems to have been hurt. If someone has been injured then you will need to give your details and report the accident at a police station. If you don’t do this then you could be banned from driving. You will also get 5 – 10 points and a fine of up to £5000.
8. Defective tyres is an easy one to fall foul of if you’re not careful. Check regularly to make sure they have enough tread. Especially on the inside edges which can be hard to see. The legal minimum is 1.6mm. If they are not inflated properly, are damaged or just plain bald you can be fined £2500 and get 3 points for each tyre. Tyres are your only contact with the road so keep them in good condition.
9. Driving through a red light. It’s tempting to get your foot down at the amber traffic light and get through the junction before it turns red. This is to be avoided. It can potentially lead to some serious crashes if you misjudge it and go through the red light. If you are caught, possibly by the red light camera, it is a guaranteed 3 points and a £100 fine.
10. Not in proper control of the vehicle. This can happen in so many ways. Anything which distracts you from the driving task and causes you to lose control falls into this category. Common causes are eating, drinking and smoking which mean you don’t have a proper grip of the steering wheel. Also using a phone or looking at a laptop will take your attention from the road. Make sure you give full attention to your driving at all times otherwise you could get 3 points on your license and a £100 fine.
11. If your car is over three years old then it needs a current MOT pass certificate. If you don’t have a valid MOT then you could be fined £1000. No MOT means that your car insurance is not valid which will mean that you are committing the offence of having no insurance as well. Keep up to date with this. It’s easy to forget.
12. No driving license is the last thing on our list. You will have 3 – 6 points put on your license when you do get one and be fined £1000. If you are driving while disqualified then you could face a 6 month prison term, £5000 fine and be banned indefinitely. Make sure you are properly licensed to drive. If you have a provisional licence then make sure you are accompanied when driving.

There you are. Keep up to date with all your documents, remember what your local driving instructor in Nottingham taught you and you’ll be OK. Happy motoring!