11,000 miss ban for 12 points

A 27-year-old driver from Teesside with 54 penalty points is one of 11,000 drivers with more than 12 points who been allowed to keep their driving licence by the courts, the Telegraph reports.

Some 10,000 have been let off by the courts - one in four facing disqualification is shown clemency under the "exceptional hardship" rules. Another 1,000 are still driving because details of the disqualification failed to reach the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

Road safety minister Mike Penning has ordered an inquiry into the cases of the 1,000 drivers who are still on the road despite being disqualified by the courts.