The introduction of the penalty points system has been a hugely successful initiative from which some figures are worth noting. Over the first six months after the introduction of the system, there were 143 deaths on the roads – a reduction of 32% on the same period in the preceding year. That represents 68 lives saved. Up to 30 April 2003, there were 98 deaths on the roads, a reduction of 36. At 98, the number is still too high, but it is most important that so many lives have been saved.