:''For other uses of the word point, see Point''
A '''point system''' is one in which a driver's licensing authority issues demerits, or ''points'' to drivers on conviction for road traffic offenses. Points may either be added or subtracted, depending on the particular system in use. A major offense may lead to more than the maximum allowed points being issued, but more typically, the accumulation (or loss) of too many points over a given period or time can lead to additional penalties, including fines and suspension or revocation of the driver's license. The primary purpose of such point systems is to identify and deter repeat offenders of traffic laws, whilst also streamlining the legal process. 

Germany was the first country worldwide that introduced a demerit point system (legal implementation in 1974). 

== Description ==
:''This article discusses point systems in the abstract; for details about any point system in place in your area, consult your local police department, DMV, or other drivers' licensing authority.  This description treats points as demerits; in some jurisdictions, points may instead be measures of merit which are subtracted when a traffic offense is committed.''
In jurisdictions which use a point system, the police or licensing authorities (as specified by law) maintain, for each driver, a driving score--typically an integer number specified in ''points''.  Traffic offenses, such as speeding or disobeying traffic signals, are each assigned a certain number of points, and when a driver is determined to be guilty of a particular offense (by whatever means appropriate in the region's legal system), the corresponding number of points are added to the driver's total.  When the driver's total exceeds a certain threshold, the driver may face additional penalties, be required to attend safety classes or driver training, be subject to re-examination, or lose his/her driving privileges.  

The threshold(s) to determine additional penalties may vary based on the driver's experience level, prior driving record, age, educational level attained, and other factors.  In particular, it is common to set a lower threshold for young, inexperienced motorists.

In some jurisdictions, points can also be added if the driver is found to be significantly at fault in a traffic accident.  Points can be removed from a driver's score by the simple passage of time, by a period of time with no violations or accidents, or by the driver's completion of additional drivers' training or traffic safety training.

Major traffic offenses, such as imprisonment.  

In the United States, aspects of a motorists driving record (including points) may be reported to insurance companies; who may then use a motorists score in determining what rate to charge the motorist, and/or whether or not to renew or cancel an insurance policy.

==Requirements of point systems ==
thumb|250px| Risk of accident related to the number of individual entries in the german register of traffic offences
*A close relation of points and accident risk (validity) 
*Comprehensibility for a good acceptance 
*A high level of transparency for concerned persons
*Regulated reduction of points by effective psychological help

==Jurisdictions that use a point system==
=== European Union ===
====Denmark====
In Denmark, some traffic violations will incur a ''klip'' ("cut") in the licence. The cut is not physical, but refers to the ''klippekort'' (cutting-card). The cuts are actually remarks in the police database. The licence, though, only allows 3 cuts before the police keep it. Young drivers and probation drivers (those who re-obtained the license) only get 2 cuts for a certain period.

====Germany====
'''Points rating''':
:Criminal acts in traffic are rated by 5 - 7 points depending on type and severity. 
:Traffic offences are rated by 1 - 4 points.

:The person concerned may obtain information on his or her points at any time free of charge. 

'''Measures''': 

The driving license authorities of the federal states are responsible for enforcing the penalty points system. The system provides for the following graded measures. Points rebate is only possible by voluntary measures once within 5 years. It is not possible to accumulate positive points. The date of issue of the participation certificate is decisive for the number of points and the calculation of the five-year period.
:{| class="prettytable" 
|'''Points'''
|'''Description'''
|'''Deduction'''
|-
|4 to 8
|Voluntary attendance at a constructive seminar
|'''4 points'''
|-
|9 to 13
|A caution is issued with a reference to voluntary attendance at a constructive seminar. 
|After voluntary attendance: '''2 points'''
|-
|14 to 17 
|Mandatory attendance at a constructive seminar, if the person concerned has not attended a constructive seminar within the last 5 years. 
|After mandatory attendance at the seminar a second written caution is issued with a reference to voluntary participation in a traffic psychologist‘s counselling. After voluntary participation: '''2 points'''
|-
|18 and more
|Driving permit is withdrawn
|}

'''Cancellation of entries/Cancellation of points'''

When the entry is taken off, the points are also deleted. The entries are always taken off the records once the fixed periods laid down in the traffic law (§ 29 StVG) have expired. The entry of a decision concerning an offence cannot be deleted as long as the person concerned is stored in the Central Register of Driving Permits as the holder of a beginner driver’s license (FaP).

'''Start of cancellation period'''

The period of time begins for sentences passed by courts with the day of the first verdict. When a driving permit has been denied or withdrawn or a driving ban has been imposed or if the permit has been renounced, the cancellation period does not begin until the driving permit is issued or re-issued, at the latest 5 years after the decision or the renunciation. 

After attendance at a constructive seminar or a traffic psychologist's counselling, the suspension period begins on the day the certificate of attendance is issued. If a driving permit is revoked, the period begins on the day the notification is received at the responsible authority.

'''Extension period'''

Records are deleted when the cancellation period plus an extension period of one year has elapsed, provided no other decisions hamper cancellation. Cancellation occurs automatically without an application having to be made. No notification of cancellation is sent out. Deleted entries are completely destroyed, therefore no information can be given on them at a later date. 

:{| class="prettytable" 
|'''Years'''
|'''Cancellation periods'''
|-
|2
|For decisions on traffic offences 
|-
|5
|For decisions on criminal acts with the exception of DUI. Also excepted are decisions whereby a driving permit has been withdrawn or a driving ban has been imposed.
|-
|10
|In all other cases (e. g. exceptions to the 5-year period, renunciation of driving permit, denial of driving permit).
|}
* [http://www.fit-to-drive.com/2006/downloads/Schade_KBA.pdf Effectiveness of the point system in Germany].

==== Ireland ====
Ireland introduced a penalty points system in 2002, based loosely on that of the United Kingdom.

Points are issued by the [http://www.penaltypoints.ie National Safety Council] for a list of 36 traffic offenses, ranging from 1 point for minor offenses up to 5 points, generally for serious offenses requiring a court visit. Once 12 points are accumulated, the driver gets an automatic 6 month driving ban. Points lapse after 3 years. Drivers may be banned outside of the system - such as for drink driving, dangerous driving and excessive speeding, most of which have no points amount. 

31 of the 36 offenses carry fines which can be paid within 28 days, or appealed against - if the appeal is lost the points applied are doubled. The remaining 5 offenses require a court appearance at all times. All offenses also carry monetary fines

To date, 98 people have been banned for reaching 12 points, while 496,217 others have received 1 to 11 points. 131,988 of these did not hold a driving licenses at the time they received the points, or were otherwise disqualified. [http://www.penaltypoints.ie/assets/pdf/analysis%20of%20%20penalty%20points%20(current)%20issued%20-%20%20(cumulative)%202007%20dec.pdf]

Moves are underway to allow interchange of points between Ireland and the United Kingdom (respectively the only countries each has a land border with), as currently drivers can commit motoring offenses in one territory while holding a license from the other with no repercussions.

==== Italy ====
In Italy the driver has 20 points by default, and receives a bonus of 2 points for every 2 years of correct behavior, with a maximum of 30 points.
Each traffic violation incurs a specific point penalty (for example, ignoring a traffic light involves a penalty of 6 points).  If the driver loses all points, the driving license is revoked.

====Norway====
As in Denmark, with these differencies: The system is called "prikkbelastning" with prikk(er) meaning dot(s). Some violations (only speeding or ignoring stop or yield rules) gives 1 or 2 dots. If you get caught for driving at a speed of 51-60 km/h in a 50 km/h area, you get no dots. 61-70 km/h gives one dot while 71-75 km/h gives two dots. Speeds measured to 76 km/h or more results in immediately loss of driving permit (plus a fine and perhaps imprisonment) but no dots. Not stopping for stop signs or red lights, as well as breaking other yield rules, gives two dots.

Drivers reaching 8 points in two years loses the driving permit for 6 months. Each dot is deleted  when two years has passed since the violation took place. Currently the system is debated and malfunctioning. Some drivers still has not got their driving permit withdrawn even after receiving eight or more dots. Suggestions have beed made to reduce the 8 dots limit to 6.

La '''patente a punti''' è il meccanismo introdotto in norme del patente).

==Legislazione==
Il numero di punti sottratti dalla patente è stabilito dalla legge e varia a seconda della gravità dell'infrazione. Per recuperare i punti è sufficiente seguire dei corsi appositi presso un'autoscuola.

È importante notare come il meccanismo del punteggio vada ad affiancare e non a sostituire le sanzioni già previste per le varie infrazioni, compresa la sospensione della patente.

La patente a punti è stata introdotta nel codice della strada (articolo 126 bis) dal D.L. n.151 del 27 giugno 2003, modificato in alcuni punti dalla legge n. 214 del 1 agosto 2003.
La n. 214 del 2003 ha introdotto nel 126 bis la possibilità di non dichiarare l'identità del guidatore, se il proprietario del veicolo versa una maggiorazione di 250 euro, in modo che le sanzioni della patente a punti non siano applicabili.
Analoga norma non esiste negli altri Paesi europei che hanno introdotto la patente a punti.

== I bonus ==
Agli automobilisti che per due anni non hanno mai perso punti vengono automaticamente aggiunti due punti di "bonus".
Per sapere qual è il proprio punteggio è possibile telefonare al numero 848.782.782 (uno scatto alla risposta, ed equivale ad una telefonata urbana), oppure è possibile effettuare la registrazione al sito http://www.ilportaledellautomobilista.it per visualizzare il proprio estratto conto patente.
Visto che una patente ha la durata massima di 10 anni (dopo di che va automaticamente rinnovata) con i bonus si può raggiungere un massimo di 30 punti (2 di bonus ottenuti 5 volte più i 20 iniziali).
Chi avesse meno di 20 punti e non subisce altre penalizzazioni per due anni torna semplicemente al totale iniziale di 20.

== Casi particolari ==
# I neopatentati, ovvero coloro che hanno conseguito la patente da meno di tre anni, per ogni infrazione commessa si vedono togliere il doppio dei punti previsti per l'infrazione commessa.
# In caso di più infrazioni contemporanee la massima quantità di punti che può venir sottratta in un'unica occasione è di 15, a meno che non si tratti di infrazioni che prevedono il ritiro immediato della patente (ad esempio la ''guida in stato d'ebbrezza'', il ''sorpasso in curva'' o la ''circolazione contromano''): in questi casi tale regola non si applica.
# Nel caso in cui non sia possibile stabilire chi fosse alla guida quando è stata commessa l'infrazione non vengono sottratti punti ma viene applicata un'ulteriore sanzione prevista dal codice della strada: è il caso ad esempio degli autovelox, in cui non vi è contestazione immediata dell'infrazione.
# Le patenti di guida straniere non sono direttamente sottoposte alla regola dei "punti", ma, come specificato dalla nuova normativa del Ministero dei Trasporti, per i patentati stranieri scatta il divieto di guida in Italia per un periodo variabile tra i sei mesi e i due anni, se commettono infrazioni per un totale equivalente a 20 punti in un periodo di massimo tre anni.

==Violazioni più comuni e decurtazione di punteggio==
'''''-1 punto'''''
*Mancato uso o utilizzo improprio delle luci;
*Sistemazione dei passeggeri e/o animali non idonea.

'''''-2 punti'''''
*Eccesso di velocità (superiore a 10 km/h e inferiore a 40 km/h);
*Inosservanza della segnaletica stradale o delle segnalazioni degli agenti;
*Collegamento inidoneo in caso di traino;
*Trasporto in sovraccarico o in sovrannumero su autovetture.

'''''-3 punti'''''
*Inosservanza delle condizioni generali per effettuare un sorpasso;
*Distanza di sicurezza inadeguata (in caso di collisione con danni lievi);
*Non fermarsi all'invito di un agente;
*Rifiutarsi di esibire i documenti richiesti o di far ispezionare il veicolo.