Association between traffic reoffending and type of official points recovery course (partial, full, and court-mandated): Evidence from a three-year follow-up

Traffic recidivism is a major contributor to road accidents, injuries, and fatalities, highlighting the need for effective interventions aimed at reducing risky driving behaviour. This study analyses objective records of traffic sanctions and penalty point losses to examine the long-term effectiveness (three-year follow-up) of official driving licence points recovery courses within the Spanish Points Penalty System (PPS) in preventing repeat traffic offences. The sample comprised 140 offender drivers who completed one of three official recovery courses: 55 attended a partial recovery course, 35 completed a full recovery course after losing all licence points, and 50 participated in a court-mandated recovery course. Objective data on traffic sanctions and penalty point losses were collected for the three years following course completion. Descriptive analyses indicated high overall recidivism. Data provided by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) showed that 71.43% of participants received at least one traffic sanction, and 47.86% lost at least one penalty point during the follow-up period. However, reoffending patterns varied significantly across course types. Drivers attending partial recovery courses showed the highest recidivism, with 83.64% receiving at least one sanction and 72.73% losing penalty points. Participants in full recovery courses also exhibited high sanction rates (80%), although a substantially lower proportion experienced further point loss (28.57%). In contrast, drivers enrolled in court-mandated courses showed lower recidivism rates, with 52% receiving at least one sanction and 34% experiencing point loss. Overall, long-term reoffending was more strongly associated with the type of course attended than with sociodemographic characteristics or substance use. Court-mandated courses were associated with lower levels of sanctions and penalty point losses over the three-year follow-up, potentially reflecting the stronger legal consequences associated with these interventions. Full recovery courses showed patterns consistent with partial behavioural adaptation, with participants tending to shift towards less severe infractions rather than achieving full compliance. Finally, partial recovery courses appeared less effective, possibly due to lower perceived deterrent value or their use as a procedural mechanism for point restoration rather than as a rehabilitative intervention. From this perspective, the higher effectiveness of court-mandated courses may be explained not only by their educational and punitive components, but also by the broader legal consequences experienced by offenders, including community service orders or custodial sentences.