18% of drivers with penalty points are foreigners

ALMOST 20% of motorists who incur penalty points are foreign drivers, although few risk losing their licence or being fined due to the absence of legislation.

Figures from the Department of Transport show 18% of more than 309,000 drivers given penalty points since the introduction of the system in October 2002 are likely to escape punishment.

The department yesterday confirmed penalty point offences have been recorded against over 55,680 vehicles with “no driver number”. It is understood the vast majority of such offenders are foreign-licence holders or drivers of foreign-registered vehicles, including many from Northern Ireland and Britain.