Drivers who repeatedly break the law could face being banned from the roads if the accumulate 12 or more ?demerit points? through the courts.

A penalty points tally system similar to one already enforced in the UK has been proposed for Bermuda and will be debated over the coming months after being tabled at the re-convening of Parliament last Friday. And two further tabled Bills will, if enacted, prevent anyone who does not pay outstanding traffic fines from being allowed to renew their car or auxiliary cycle licence.

The tougher laws have been outlined in three proposed legislative changes.

Motorists who already have outstanding unpaid fines should beware because, if passed, the two Bills stipulating that no motor car licence or auxiliary bicycle licence be issued to anyone with unpaid traffic fines will also apply retrospectively to fines issued before the new law came into force.

The third prong of the proposed crackdown on motoring offenders is a system whereby road traffic offences carry a variety of penalty points in relation to the seriousness of the offence and whether it is a second or subsequent offence.

Anyone who collects 12 or more points will automatically be disqualified from driving all vehicles for at least six months and shall remain disqualified until enough of the penalty points against them have expired.

Demerit points will expire two years after the date of the conviction to which they refer.

The proposed penalty points system will be on a sliding scale with less serious offences such as ignoring a traffic sign attracting between two and four points, while breaking the speed limit will be punished with up to seven points for a first offence and possibly a maximum 12-point instant disqualification for those who commit a third speeding offence within two years of their first conviction.

A tally of demerit points issued against drivers will be kept by the Director of Transport Control.

Penalty points will not be issued for parking offences or retrospectively for offences committed before the law is enacted.

All three Bills will be debated during the current Parliamentary season.