Speeding, drink-driving and other road offences could trigger much tougher punishments, under Government plans.Just two cases of 'excessive' speeding - 20mph or more above most speed limits - could be enough to lose a motorist their licence.
And the police would be supported to introduce drink-drive checkpoints as part of measures to tackle drink and drug-driving.
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has launched a public consultation on the plans. He said: "Britain has one of the best road safety records in the world and the number of people killed or hurt has fallen dramatically in the last decade.
"But too many people are still dying on our roads."
The consultation does not recommend reducing penalties for lighter offences to two points, as had been suggested by some motoring lobbyists.
But in an appendix to the report it concedes that reducing some penalties "may improve perceptions of the fairness of speed enforcement, improving respect for speed limits".
Safety campaign group Brake welcomed many of the ideas, and warned against reducing any penalties.
"Any attempt to change the speeding laws so more drivers will be punished is a positive move," said Mary Williams, the group's chief executive.
"However the Government must not allow drivers who break the law at lower speed limits to get away with it."
