Teen Speedsters and OAPs Among Drivers Clobbered by ‘Totting-Up’ Bans
New DVLA data exposes jaw-dropping figures of motorists banned under the notorious ‘totting-up’ rules. Shocking stats reveal youngsters as young as 13 caught speeding and racking up points, alongside elderly drivers well into their 90s and even past 100.
Underage Drivers Hit Hard
The data, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, covers England, Scotland, and Wales over the past four years. While no females under driving age got suspended, several boys smashed the speed limits early. The youngest banned driver was actually 18, but get this — at least six 15-year-olds and fourteen 16-year-olds also earned suspensions for reaching 12 points or more.
“It’s frowned upon for adults to collect so many points for offences such as speeding, so for youngsters four years below the legal driving age to have amassed them is mind-boggling,” said Duncan McClure Fisher, CEO of MotorEasy.
Oldest Drivers Banned: Age Is Just a Number?
At the other extreme, the oldest drivers banned under the TT99 offence include a 101-year-old woman from South West England and a 94-year-old driver from East England. Women in their 90s led the pack, with multiple bans handed to drivers aged 90, 92, and above. A total of at least 16 drivers in their 90s hit that dreaded 12-point mark between 2018 and 2021.
“It’s surprising to see the ages of some of those at the other end of the scale who have totted up 12 points or more… to still be driving at 101 is remarkable, but these OAPs obviously didn’t meet road standards,” added McClure Fisher.
Rising Totting-Up Bans Despite Pandemic Dip
- 2018: 34,485 bans
- 2019: 38,000 bans
- 2020: 36,483 bans (Covid dip)
- 2021: 38,187 bans
The numbers rose steadily from 2018 to 2021, with a Covid-related dip in 2020. Remember, hitting 12 penalty points within three years usually triggers an automatic driving ban. Even children and teens not old enough to hold a licence can receive formal driving bans — often starting from conviction date and expiring when they turn 17.
Still, courts granted around 35,000 drivers leniency between 2017 and 2021 by allowing them to keep licences citing ‘exceptional hardship.’ Road safety advocates are now demanding the government shut this loophole to keep roads safer.
