Expert Guides & Insurance Insights

It’s important to understand that when it comes to using a mobile phone whilst driving, the law applies to physically touching your phone whilst the vehicle’s engine is running. This includes being stopped at traffic lights as well as when moving. It also applies to other handheld devices as well as mobile phones.

Depending on the nature of the offence, what road you were on and how much you exceeded the speed limit, you will normally be issued three to six penalty points, which must remain on your licence for four years from the offence date.

The rules surrounding the transferring of penalty points that have been accrued abroad are quite complicated. Originally, if a European police officer stops a British driver for a motoring offence, the officer can issue an on-the-spot fine and escort the motorist to a cash point.

In most instances, if you are caught driving through a red light, you will be issued with three penalty points, which must remain on your licence for four years from the date of the offence. In addition to being issued three penalty points, you will be handed a TS10 conviction code, which relates to ‘failing to comply with traffic light signals’.

If you have less than two years of driving experience and receive six or more penalty points, your driver’s licence will be revoked. Some drivers will also receive a driving ban and a revoked licence, depending on the offence.

There are many factors that influence the cost of your car insurance. These factors can have both positive and negative effects on your premium. They include your occupation, the type of vehicle you drive, your claims history, and, importantly, any penalty points on your license. Having penalty points negatively impacts your insurance premium, as it signals a higher risk to insurers.

The UK government categorises motoring offences with penalty points on the driver’s driving record, and the points further determine the level of penalty to be subjected to the driver. The process of sentencing penalty points on driving records for driving convictions is called endorsements, and the endorsements stay on records for, say, 4-11 years, based on the nature of the offence.