Image caption All points were accrued from 2011 to December 2013, the IAM said.

Almost 7,300 motorists with 12 points or more on their licences have not been banned from driving, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has claimed.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) latest figures show a man from Liverpool is driving with 45 penalty points on his licence, the IAM said.

Drivers are fined and face a temporary ban if they accumulate 12 points on their licence over a three-year period.

In exceptional cases, magistrates can use their discretion to avoid bans.

The motorist from Liverpool had committed speeding offences and failed to declare the name of the driver of the vehicle, the IAM said.

'Exceptional hardship'

A man from Warrington has the second highest number of points at 36 for driving without insurance.

Other drivers who avoided bans include:

A woman from Lincoln who has 34 points for failing to declare the driver of the vehicle and speeding

A woman from Hull who has 31 points for failing to declare the driver of the vehicle and speeding

Five men from Westcliff-on-Sea, Colchester, Brighouse, Doncaster and Dagenham have 30 points for offences including speeding and failing to declare the driver of the vehicle

All points were accrued from 2011 to December 2013.

A total of 7,293 motorists had 12 points or more on their licences, the IAM said.

Simon Best, its chief executive, said: "DVLA must rapidly overhaul their systems and working relationships with the courts to ensure that the whole principle of 12 points and you are off the road is not undermined.

"Any suggestion that some drivers may be able to speed with impunity and then talk themselves out of a ban puts our whole approach to enforcement into question."

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service said the "vast majority" of drivers were disqualified if penalty points reach or exceed 12.

A spokeswoman said: "Magistrates can use their discretion to not enforce a driving ban if doing so would cause exceptional hardship, such as losing a job or the ability to care for a dependent. A fine will still be enforced."

A DVLA spokesman said: "DVLA's role is to record the information provided by the courts.

"The courts are able to use their discretion to decide whether or not to disqualify a driver."