A division of the RAC that is a well-known motoring organization here in the UK has obtained some interesting information relating to the number of drivers who were caught by the police when driving vehicles that were unfortunately found out to be not roadworthy. It was discovered that there was a big increase in such occurrences when comparing 2023 with 2024.
For instance, in 2023 there were a total of 8,614 motorists who were given penalty points on their driving licenses here in the UK for being caught driving unroadworthy vehicles. Compare that with 2024 when 13,109 drivers were found to be driving unroadworthy vehicles in the UK. That is an increase of 4,495 equating to a 52% rise that we are sure you will agree is a huge increase in the space of a year.
Of those receiving penalty points on their driving licenses for such an offence, 8,945 of them related to defective tyres in 2024 whereas in 2023 the figure was 6,196. That is a rise of 44% – again, we are sure you will agree, a large increase.
Another very concerning statistic is that there were 1,190 drivers caught behind the wheel of vehicles that were found to have defective brakes yet in 2023 the figure was 181. Again, you will no doubt agree, that is a very big increase in percentage terms.
2,974 motorists received penalty points on their driving licenses for other unroadworthy things such as a vehicles steering being defective.
In percentage terms, it was the East Midlands that saw the biggest rise in motorists getting 3 points added to their driving licenses for driving a vehicle considered to not be roadworthy when comparing 2023 with 2024. In 2023 there were 374 drivers being penalized compared to 700 in 2024 – an increase of 87%. In second place was West Scotland with 423 drivers receiving endorsements on their driving licenses for driving an unroadworthy vehicle in 2023 compared to 621 in 2024 – a rise of 47%.
Greater London, in terms of numbers, saw the biggest rise in drivers receiving penalty points on their driving license. In 2023 the figure was 1,464 but in 2024 this had increased to 1,765 – a rise of 21%.
We are sure that you will agree the above figures are very concerning. Full details can be found on the RAC website.
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