What is Totting Up and Could I Get a Driving Ban?

Totting up — What is it?

Totting up is another way of referring to the driving licence points system, whereby driving-related offences are recorded as driving licence endorsements, with those endorsements carrying points according to the severity of the offence. If you accumulate 12 points within the same 3-year period, you could be given a driving disqualification (typically for 6 months). If, though, you have only had your driving licence for 2 years, you only need to accumulate 6 points and you will see your driving licence withdrawn.

How many points will I get on my licence?

By far the most common motoring offence on UK roads is speeding, and in most cases this will incur the minimum fine of £100 and 3 points on your driving licence.Another common offence is not in fact to do with driving, but road worthiness. If, for example, your car has a cracked windscreen, missing side mirror or faulty light, you could be awarded 3 points. This is also true if you have a bald tire – but if you were to hhardship bald tires, that would be 3 points times by 4. That’s 12 points and a potential driving ban.

Naturally, more serious offences – careless driving, dangerous driving or drink driving, for example – will carry a larger fine and more penalty points, and possibly even an instant ban.

How do I avoid a driving ban? What is “exceptional hardship"? 

If you have been convicted of a driving offence, such as drink driving, that might result in a driving ban, or if you are in danger of being disqualified through the totting up system, you will need experienced motor lawyers who have a proven track record and are familiar with the criteria that courts refer to in order to apply a ban.

Often, those motor lawyers will attempt to reduce or avoid a ban by arguing a case of exceptional hardship. This means that they will aim to convince the court that a ban from driving would cause so much difficulty for you, the offender, or for your local community, that such a punishment would in fact be too severe. Perhaps it would ruin your business and jobs would be lost, or maybe there are local residents or businesses that rely on your being able to drive in order to fulfil an important service. If the courts accept that argument, there’s a strong chance that any punishment they impose will not be as severe as first feared.