Speeding drivers could be banned from the roads after just TWO offences

Ministers may double the penalty points handed to those who exceed the limit by a big margin - making a six month driving ban harder to avoid.

At present, drivers are typically punished with three points on their licence. Under the new plan someone driving at 32mph in a 20mph zone would be hit with six points.

The new super-penalty would also apply to people speeding at 94mph or over on motorways, 82mph on trunk roads with a 60mph limit; and 45mph where the limit is 30mph.

In addition, the present speeding fine would rise for the fastest drivers, from £60 to £100.

The move is aimed at a new breed of motoristswho routinely drive at reckless speeds, rather than those who merely edge over the limit

Anyone who accrues 12 points is normally banned from driving and fined. But each set of penalty points expires after three years (although they reamain on the holder's licence for a further 12 months), which means some regular offenders think they can afford to be caught again without being banned and are not afraid to speed.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents welcomed a crackdown on 'people who are grossly above the speed limit'.

A spokesman added: "It is getting at those who flagrantly break the speed limit."

But Paul Smith, founder of campaign group Safe Speed, said: "Drivers will rightly be concerned that they will be faced with losing their licences for six months after two perfectly routine cases of driving safely. We all know that exceeding the speed limit isn't automatically dangerous."

More than 1.1 million drivers have six or more points on their licences and, under the new system, would be banned immediately for one more offence.

In the past, the Government considered cutting the fixed penalty to two points and a £40 fine for those driving only a few miles per hour over the limit.

But road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick said that ministers had changed their minds.

"It would be counter-productive and against everything we are saying to tell someone 'you were doing 35mph so you should only get two points'," he said.

A new survey by the RAC revealed that more than half of drivers admit speeding but only 16 per cent have been convicted in the last five years.