A Midlands city has some of the UK's most dangerous drivers on its roads, according to new research. Driving data has revealed the parts of the country where most people have points in their licence after being caught speeding or committing other motoring offences.
Wolverhampton was high on the list, with around one in 12 (8%) drivers from the city having points on their list. Telford was even worse, with the rate in the Shropshire town around one in 10 (9.1%).
There are a huge 20,000 motorists in Wolverhampton who have got into trouble for their actions on the roads in recent years and now carry points on their licence. It suggests the two areas are among the UK's speeding hotspots.
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Nationally, more than 2.75 million motorists currently have at least three points on their driving licences for motoring offences, according to latest DVLA data analysed by car leasing comparison website LeaseLoco. Halifax in Yorkshire has the 'worst' drivers in Britain - more than one in 10 (10.7%) full driving licence holders registered in the HX postcode area, have at least three penalty points.
That's followed by other Yorkshire areas; Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield. Telford is seventh on the list while Wolverhampton sits just outside the top 10 in 12th.
The most common driving offence, unsurprisingly, is speeding. Someone faces being banned from the roads if they build up 12 or more points within a period of three years.
Across Britain, 10,415 drivers have at least 12 points on their driving licences. Another 94,000 are walking the tightrope on nine points, potentially one mistake away from disqualification.
John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco said: "Across England, Scotland and Wales almost three million people have at least three penalty points on their driving licences, with a large number of these fines incurred for speeding. Motorists need to remember that penalty points stay on your licence for four years and up to eleven years, depending upon the offence you committed.
"Having points on your licence will almost certainly lead to a higher insurance premium as insurers consider the risk factors associated with a given customer when calculating the premiums. And at a time when millions of people are already struggling with the cost of living, higher car insurance premiums will sting more than ever.
“With car insurance premiums already significantly higher than 12 months ago, and not likely to fall any time soon, committing a motoring offence isn’t just a danger to other road users, it is likely to significantly hurt you in the pocket too.”
