Driving Licence Ban

Many of you currently learning to drive will be keeping a running total of the cost of driving lessons and how many attempts you've had at the practical DSA car driving test, the current economic climate also means that this money is hitting learner driver's pockets really hard, so I wonder why newly qualified drivers are not doing their best to keep thier full UK licences clean from penalty points and the resultant driving licence revocation that follows under the new drivers act.
It is not just new learner drivers that can be penalised for driving offences, as any driver prosecuted under the road traffic act could be banned or ordered to re-take a driving test by a magistrate and there is also the automatic ban you get under the totting up system if you get 12 or more penalty points on your licence (provisional or full) within a 3 year period.

The cost of any driving conviction can add up, it starts with higher insurance premiums, there could be a need for more driving lessons, especially if you are asked to take an extended driving test which is longer than the normal 40 minutes 'L' test, there could be fines to pay and finally you might need to pay for taxi or cab fares while serving your driving licence ban (I know some of you still drive while banned).

As a provisional licence holder you know that any penalty points are valid for 3 years from the date of conviction, so it is important that you abide by the law in order to avoid these going on your full British driving license, and don't get into the mind set that it won't happen to you. Every day people get penalised for one traffic offence or the other, and every month the DVLA revokes the driving licence of thousands of new drivers under the new drivers act so if you break the law you will be caught sooner than later.

Even if you are under the current driving licence age of 17, you can still get points accumulated in your name if you are convited of an offence under the road traffic act such as driving without a licence which many 15 and 16 year olds do all the time! These points will be added to your provisional licence when you are 17 and apply for one, so don't think you can get away with under aged driving.

Dealing with traffic offences

Prevention is always better than finding a cure, so rather than trying to find a solicitor who will help you avoid a driving licence ban, it is best for you to lay down your own rules that will keep you within the law.
No drink driving no matter the circumstances, you either have the drink and leave the car alone or get a friend or taxi to take you home after drinking. If you do it once and get away with it, you will do it again.
Speeding doesn't save you alot of time, and you won't always get just 3 points (SP30) for all speeding traffic offences, so gamble with the law at your own risk.
Other offences such as driving without insurance, unsupervised, not displaying 'L' plates all add up and you will be caught if you keep breaking the law!

Retaking your driving test

If you happpened to pass your driving test first time, and your licence was revoked under the new drivers act, don't think that you will be able to automatically repeat the same feat, especially if you decide not to have driving lessons. Depending on how long ago your test was, you woud have built up some very bad habits, which will not be easy to get rid of, and if you have been ordered by a magistrate to take an extended driving test you will definately not be able to put on a show for the DSA examiner.

Value your full driving licence and don't get penalised for any traffic offences.

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Dont drink drive but be Cabwise after a night out.

More Reading
Continuous Insurance Enforcement.
Courses to avoid speeding points.
New driver pass plus.