Driving licences to be removed within hours from those posing a threat to others

[jellied]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-21293328

I am not sure how this will help - just the removal a licence will not physically stop people driving although it would compound any further offences. The idea though that currently the police have to fax or write to  DVLA to suspend  a licence in this day and age seems surreal.

[tiermat]

Errrm, dunno just how it will help, apart from, as you say, compounding any further driving offences.

Also potential for abuse, say there is a married couple where one partner works in a police station.  Couple split, partner who works in PS is a vindictive type and gets the license of other partner revoked.

All hell breaks loose.

Potentially a step in the right direction, but needs to be backed up with a immediate section 54 59 also, otherwise what is to stop the perp walking out of the station and getting straight into their car?

Edit : got the wrong section number.

[FatBloke]

Most of those who are a threat to others don't have licences.   

[Kim]

Looks like a non-story to me.

"DVLA discover email" would be a better headline.

[Notsototalnewbie]

"DVLA discover email" would be a better headline.

Yeah, last time I looked DVLA weren’t in this century.

Do you still need to do all that posting off a form to transfer ownership when you sell a car? If the DVLA would allow that to be done online (hence instantly), that would have prevented me getting a massive fine for an unpaid congestion charge fee from the car’s new owners and having to fight with TFL over the fact that it happened the day after I sold my car while the transfer form was in the snail mail. That was heaps of fun.

[rafletcher]

Indeed, after all we can insure cars on-line simply enough.  Perhaps a system akin to Belgium, where you keep the index plate when you sell the car (they are driver specific), to put on your new one, would be better.

[Cudzoziemiec]

From reading the report it seems this only applies to licences revoked on medical grounds - and even then, as Kim says, it's just allowing police to contact DVLA using 21st C methods. Banning people from driving because they've been driving dangerously still has to be done through the courts, I presume.

[GothonaBrompton]

Problem is it still doesn't stop them - I guess people who are banned for whatever reason, assess the risk of actually being caught.  Is it only when something bad happens, that the police even know?

[Regulator]

I know this case of old.

This will be nothing to stop people driving who shouldn't be.  It is well intentioned but misguided.