Driving Offence Statistics UK
2025
Driving offences aren’t just numbers buried in a report – they show us how people really behave on the roads, who’s more likely to take risks, and why some drivers end up with higher insurance costs.
In 2025, the picture is revealing: speeding remains the number one offence, drink driving still hasn’t gone away, and dangerous driving is climbing at an alarming pace.
In 2025, the picture is revealing: speeding remains the number one offence, drink driving still hasn’t gone away, and dangerous driving is climbing at an alarming pace.
Who’s really behind the wheel of offences?
As of February 2025, there are more than 42.5 million licensed drivers in the UK, with men outnumbering women by around three million [1]. But it isn’t just that there are more men driving — they are also much more likely to offend. Men of all ages are almost twice as likely to have penalty points as women, with the riskiest group being young men aged 17 to 25. The average peak age for collecting points is just 25 years old [1].
This pattern lines up with what we’ve already seen in our gender car insurance statistics, where men consistently face higher premiums due to riskier driving behaviours.
This pattern lines up with what we’ve already seen in our gender car insurance statistics, where men consistently face higher premiums due to riskier driving behaviours.
Speeding: still the biggest offence
Speeding dominates UK motoring offences. Almost half of motorway drivers break the limit, and on 20mph urban roads a staggering 86% of vehicles are speeding [11]. Men account for around 78% of speeding convictions [11].
Some cases go way beyond creeping over the limit. In the last five years, more than 24,000 drivers have been caught doing over 100mph, including one recorded at 139mph on a 60mph road [5].
London stands out in particular. Speed limit offences soared to nearly 387,000 in 2023, a rise of 319% since 2018, largely caught on 20mph and 30mph roads [3].
Some cases go way beyond creeping over the limit. In the last five years, more than 24,000 drivers have been caught doing over 100mph, including one recorded at 139mph on a 60mph road [5].
London stands out in particular. Speed limit offences soared to nearly 387,000 in 2023, a rise of 319% since 2018, largely caught on 20mph and 30mph roads [3].
Drink driving: the long-running problem
Despite awareness campaigns, drink driving convictions still total around 85,000 per year [12]. The legal limit under the Road Traffic Act 1988 is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath [12].
Men make up the majority of those convicted [11], reflecting a persistent risk pattern. For insurers, these offences carry a long tail, with higher premiums lasting years after the conviction.
For more on how this risk translates into higher costs for younger drivers, see our young driver insurance statistics.
Men make up the majority of those convicted [11], reflecting a persistent risk pattern. For insurers, these offences carry a long tail, with higher premiums lasting years after the conviction.
For more on how this risk translates into higher costs for younger drivers, see our young driver insurance statistics.
Dangerous driving on the rise
The sharpest growth is in dangerous driving offences. In 2024, prosecutions for causing serious injury through dangerous driving increased by 60% [4]. That points to a worrying shift toward more severe accidents and harsher sentencing.
Regional danger zones
Some towns are clear hotspots for offences. Halifax leads the way with 11.6% of motorists holding penalty points, followed by Huddersfield and Leeds. The safest place is the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, where just 3.9% of drivers carry points [1].
Enforcement is stepping up
The scale of enforcement is growing. In 2019/20, more than 324,000 motoring offences were enforced with penalties [13]. By 2024, prosecutions for driving without valid registration rose by 29%, and disqualifications climbed by 9%, with nearly 75,000 drivers banned that year [4].
From August 2025, new AI-powered cameras have been introduced to track repeat speeding offenders, with escalating fines and points for those caught multiple times [2].
From August 2025, new AI-powered cameras have been introduced to track repeat speeding offenders, with escalating fines and points for those caught multiple times [2].
What the law says
Driving offences are covered under the Road Traffic Act 1988, with Sections 5 and 7 setting the limits for alcohol and drugs [12][14].
Penalty points normally stay on your licence for four years, but serious offences like drink driving or causing death by dangerous driving last 11 years [14]. If you hit 12 points within three years, you’re at risk of disqualification, although courts sometimes allow exceptions for “exceptional hardship” [14].
Penalty points normally stay on your licence for four years, but serious offences like drink driving or causing death by dangerous driving last 11 years [14]. If you hit 12 points within three years, you’re at risk of disqualification, although courts sometimes allow exceptions for “exceptional hardship” [14].
The bigger picture
Men dominate offence statistics, young drivers carry the most risk, speeding is endemic, and dangerous driving is rising. Some regions are consistently worse than others, and enforcement is only becoming tougher.
For drivers, this matters because every offence has a cost beyond fines. Penalty points and bans make insurance more expensive, often for years. That’s why the same themes show up across our wider research, from gender car insurance statistics to car theft statistics and young driver insurance statistics.
For drivers, this matters because every offence has a cost beyond fines. Penalty points and bans make insurance more expensive, often for years. That’s why the same themes show up across our wider research, from gender car insurance statistics to car theft statistics and young driver insurance statistics.
Sources
[1] https://www.apteco.com/insights/blog/whos-behind-wheel-driving-licence-trends-and-penalty-points-across-uk
[2] https://www.newgatesolicitors.com/uk-speeding-fine-changes-august-2025-ai-cameras/
[3] https://actionvisionzero.org/2025/02/19/avz-briefing-speed-enforcement-in-london/
[4]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6824ac12aa3556876875ec5e/Criminal_Justice_Statistics_quarterly_-_December_2024.pdf
[5] https://www.tempcover.com/front-cover/news/dft-announces-latest-number-of-uk-speeding-offences
[11] https://www.dpp-law.com/driving-offences-statistics/
[12] https://connaughtlaw.com/uk-driving-offences-penalties-2025-legal-guide/
[13] https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/roads-policing-enforcement-statistics-bulletin-201920.pdf
[14] https://www.cps.gov.uk/crime-info/driving-offences
[2] https://www.newgatesolicitors.com/uk-speeding-fine-changes-august-2025-ai-cameras/
[3] https://actionvisionzero.org/2025/02/19/avz-briefing-speed-enforcement-in-london/
[4]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6824ac12aa3556876875ec5e/Criminal_Justice_Statistics_quarterly_-_December_2024.pdf
[5] https://www.tempcover.com/front-cover/news/dft-announces-latest-number-of-uk-speeding-offences
[11] https://www.dpp-law.com/driving-offences-statistics/
[12] https://connaughtlaw.com/uk-driving-offences-penalties-2025-legal-guide/
[13] https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/roads-policing-enforcement-statistics-bulletin-201920.pdf
[14] https://www.cps.gov.uk/crime-info/driving-offences
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