Mapped: Britain’s Most Reckless Drivers

The areas that stand out for having a significant number of drivers with points on their licences are Bexleyheath, Braintree and Welwyn Garden City, indicating higher levels of traffic violations or accidents.

Situated in southeast London, more than one in four (26.80%) drivers in Bexleyheath have points registered on their licence. Its proximity to central London makes it a busy commuter hub with heavy traffic, which might contribute to a higher incidence of traffic violations. The dense road network and the pressure of city driving could be factors in the accumulation of points among drivers here in both used cars and new cars.

The data identifies that commuter towns typically have higher volumes of licence points, with Braintree and Hayes ranking within the top five positions. Substantial rush-hour traffic, congested roads and increased Low Emission Zones could all contribute to infractions.  

Dunfermline in Scotland is another example where its location in relation to Edinburgh could mean a high volume of through traffic. Its mix of historic streets and modern roads could pose challenges for drivers leading to an accumulation of points. Additionally, Scottish driving enforcement practices, which vary slightly from those in England, could also play a role.

Regionally, London naturally has the highest volume of licence holders, including those with points, however Yorkshire and the Humber, the South West and East Midlands surpass the capital for having the highest percentage of licence holders with points. 

Yorkshire and the Humber is a large and diverse region that includes urban areas, rural roads, and major motorways. The mix of road types can lead to different driving challenges. Urban areas like Leeds and Sheffield see heavy traffic and congestion, leading to more opportunities for infractions such as speeding or running red lights, while its high concentration of rural roads can encourage higher speeds, contributing to speeding violations. 

In addition, the region often experiences adverse weather conditions, including fog, rain, and snow, particularly in more rural and exposed areas. These conditions can lead to common driving mistakes and accidents which could lead to points on a licence.

Scotland is the region with the most sensible drivers, with less than 5% of licence holders. The data reveals that drivers in Argyllshire in the West of Scotland are considered the most responsible drivers. Of the 38,735 drivers in the area, only 1,637 possess points. 

Spalding (9.6%), Mansfield (9.3%) and Daventry (9.1%) have the highest concentration of dangerous drivers, while drivers in Buxton (5.2%) and Loughborough (5.8%) are the most cautious. 

The data also revealed that Nottingham drivers have collated more points (8.1% of licenced drivers) than Leicester (7.4%) and Derby (6.6%) drivers. 

Generation X possesses the highest volume of points with 974,414 currently assigned to those who were born between 1965 – 1980, however when compared to the volume of licence holders, Millennials top the ranking. 

Drivers who were born between 1981 – 1996 have accumulated 959,255 points in the 11-26 years they have been driving on UK roads. 

Millennials' higher percentage of driving licence points could be attributed to a mix of lifestyle demands, increased road exposure, technological distractions, risk-taking behaviour, and economic pressures. 

Additionally, while insurance premiums increase with points, Millennials might not yet feel the full financial impact of these penalties compared to older drivers who might have more at stake with higher premiums for their families. This could lead to less caution in avoiding infractions that accrue points.

Despite being the latest generation able to drive, Generation Z have 7.1% of drivers with points. This is considerably higher than Boomers who have at least 33 more years of driving experience. 

Breaking the data down to genders, females have the same generations ranking, with millennials having the highest split of points.

However, there’s a noticeable difference when looking at the male data.

Generation Z has the highest percentage of points, with 11.2% of drivers in possession of penalties. This is more than double the volume of female drivers of the same generation. In fact, the percentage doubles across all generations with males holding a considerably higher number of driving penalties.

Accumulating 12 or more points within three years typically leads to disqualification from driving for a period, which is commonly referred to as a "totting up" ban. For new drivers (within the first two years of passing their test), accumulating 6 or more points can result in a licence revocation.

While London, Leeds and Liverpool have the highest number of residents with over 12 points on their licence, Halifax, Bradford and Liversedge have ranked the highest for the percentage of their licensed drivers with penalties. 

Drivers in these West Yorkshire postcodes have accumulated the most points, with 193 drivers in the area with over 12 points on their licence. The area’s driving culture could have a big impact on these figures, with drivers potentially being more prone to risk-taking or less adherence to traffic laws. 

In fact, West Yorkshire Combined Authority has introduced a new scheme which aims to eradicate all deaths and serious injuries on West Yorkshire's roads in the next 16 years. The West Yorkshire Vision Zero Strategy’s figures show the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county's roads was 1,457 last year - up from 1,413 in 2022.

Focusing on the East Midlands, Leicester has the highest concentration of drivers with over 12 points on their licence, with 157 drivers. Nottingham follows with 140 drivers and Northampton comes third with 78 drivers. 

According to the data, 6,149 more men have over 12 points on their licence, with 8,141 in total, compared to 1,992 women. Numerous studies have shown that men, on average, are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour than women. This includes driving at higher speeds, taking more aggressive actions on the road, and being less cautious about adhering to traffic laws. Such behaviours could increase the likelihood of accumulating points on their licences.

Millennials are the generation with the most dangerous drivers, with 4,722 drivers accumulating over 12 penalty points.