Almost half a million motorists are swapping their three-point penalties with friends and families to avoid a ban according to new research for an insurance company Churchill.
According to the research once nine points have been gained, there is a greater likelihood that people will swapping points . Around 1.5% of drivers have admitted to swopping points with friends and family to avoid building up too many points on their licence. 29% of motorists did not see anything wrong with this method, but such practice is against the law and the Crown Prosecution Service believes that both driver and accomplice should face charges for perverting the course of justice.
Nearly half of all drivers (49%) do not think speed camera points on the licence makes people a bad driver. 21% of those surveyed said that they could not get to work without their vehicle and 9% say they rely on their vehicles to get their children to school. Possibly for these reasons 23% of people said that they would have no qualms about asking their partner to accept a three-point penalty on their behalf.
This survey alongside other research which has revealed that motorists have more points on their licences than ever before illustrates that we are driving more and that speed cameras are more prevalent. Safety cameras do have a role to play, but the RAC Foundation continues to urge for a greater traffic police presence on our roads, to help ensure a better general driving standard.
(Source: Daily Mail Thursday 31st May 2007)
NB. Results based on a survey of 1,650 adults by Churchill
