Entry into force on 1 July 2016, the points driving license cannot be considered a novelty. However, despite having been in application in Portugal for some time, its operation still raises some doubts.
From the administrative offenses that lead to the loss of points, to the minimum number of points a person can have on the license or the ways in which it is possible to recover or even accumulate points on the driving licence, in this article we explain how this system works, according to ANSR (National Road Safety Authority) is simpler and more transparent than previously applied.
When are stitches removed?
With the entry into force of the points driving license 12 points were awarded to each driver. . To lose them, a driver only needs to commit a serious, very serious administrative offense or a road crime.
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Still, points are not deducted immediately after the driver commits one of these offences. In fact, these are subtracted only on the final date of the administrative decision or at the time of the final decision. If you want to know how many points you have on your driving licence, you can access the Portal das Contraordenações.
serious administrative offenses
Serious administrative offenses (provided for in article 145 of the road code ) cost between 2 and 3 points . Some examples where a serious misdemeanor leads to loss of 2 points are as follows:- Driving a car without liability insurance;
- Stopping or parking on the side of highways or similar roads;
- Circulate in the opposite direction;
- Exceed the speed limit outside cities by 30 km/h or by 20 km/h inside cities.
Among some of the cases where serious misdemeanors cost 3 points we found:
- Excessive speed exceeding 20 km/h (motorcycle or light vehicle) or exceeding 10 km/h (other motor vehicle) in coexistence areas;
- Drive with a blood alcohol rate equal to or greater than 0.5 g/l and less than 0.8 g/l. For professional drivers, drivers transporting children and drivers on a probationary basis (with a license for less than three years) the limit is between 0.2 g/l and 0.5 g/l;
- Overtaking immediately before and at passages marked for crossing pedestrians or bicycles.
very serious administrative offenses
With regard to very serious administrative offenses (listed in article 146 of the Highway Code), these lead to a loss of between 4 and 5 points.
Some of the cases where they get lost 4 points they are:
- Disrespecting a STOP sign;
- Entering a highway or similar road through a place other than the established one;
- Use high beams (road lights) in order to cause glare;
- Don't stop at a red traffic light;
- Exceed the speed limit outside of localities by 60 km/h or by 40 km/h within localities.
already to lose 5 points on the driving license it is necessary, for example:
- Driving with a blood alcohol level equal to or greater than 0.8 g/l and less than 1.2 g/l or equal to or greater than 0.5 g/l and less than 1.2 g/l in the case of a driver on probationary basis, driver of emergency or emergency service vehicle, collective transport of children and young people up to 16 years of age, taxi, heavy passenger or goods vehicles or dangerous goods transport, as well as when the driver is considered influenced by alcohol in a medical report;
- Driving under the influence of psychotropic substances;
- Driving at excess speed above 40 km/h (motorcycle or light vehicle) or above 20 km/h (other motor vehicle) in coexistence areas.
road crimes
Finally, road crimes subtract a total of 6 points to the conductor who commits them. An example of a road crime is driving with a blood alcohol rate higher than 1.2 g/l.How many points can be lost at once?
As a rule, the maximum number of points that can be lost for having committed simultaneous administrative offenses is 6 (six) . However, there are exceptions. One of them is whether among these infractions that cost points is driving under the influence of alcohol.
In this case, the driver can see the subtracted points exceed the six that are established as the maximum limit. To give you an idea, if a driver is caught driving outside a location at 30 km/h over the limit and has a blood alcohol level of 0.8 g/l not only does he lose two points for speeding, how it loses five points for driving under the influence of alcohol, losing a total of seven points.
No points or few? here's what happens
If a driver only has 5 or 4 points, he is forced to attend a training course on Road Safety. If you do not appear and do not justify the absence, you will lose your driving license and have to wait two years to get it again.When a driver sees himself with 3, 2 or just 1 point on your driving license you must take the theoretical test of the driving test. If not? You lose the license and have to wait two years to get it.
Finally, as you would expect, if a driver stays without any stitch you automatically lose your driving license and have to wait two years before you can get it again.
Is it possible to earn points? Like?
For a start, yes, it is possible to earn points on your driving license. In order to do so, a driver must be three years without committing any serious, very serious administrative offense or road crime. In total, the points-based driving license system provides that the maximum accumulated points can rise to the 15.
But there is more. As you can read on the ANSR website: "At each period of revalidation of the driving license, without road crimes being committed and the driver having voluntarily attended road safety training, the driver is assigned a point, which cannot be exceeded. limit of 16 (sixteen) points“.
This 16-point limit only applies in cases where the driver has earned the "extra point" through road safety training, and in all other cases, the current limit is 15 points.
Source: ANSR.