THE RAC’s annual report on motoring has concluded that the increased penalties for using a hand-held phone (six points on the licence and a £200 fine) that came into effect two years ago are just not working.

The time has come to take draconian measures against the scofflaws who recklessly endanger the lives of their own passengers and other road users.

The penalty should be automatic loss of licence for a mandatory minimum of one year - without any right of appeal, even if losing the licence results in loss of employment or hardship for the offenders’ families.

The points system for driving offences is a farce. More than 10,000 offenders are still driving - despite having 12 penalty points (which the law mandates is the point - pun intended - at which their licence should be taken away) and one woman in Oxfordshire is still permitted to get behind the wheel despite having amassed an astonishing 51 penalty points.

ROBERT READMAN

Norwich Avenue West, Bournemouth