Bristol drivers ‘most likely’ to have points on their licence

Bristol has the highest proportion of drivers with at least three penalty points on their licence, according to the latest DVLA data.

The research, from Motorway.co.uk, reveals that 6.8% of the population have at least three points on their licence, some 60,000 drivers registered in the Bristol area. More than 14,279 are multiple offenders, with at least six points on their licences.

The figures are supported by speed camera data obtained from local police forces, which shows that the two most active speed cameras in the UK, are on the M32 to Bristol and between Bristol Junction 19 and 20 on the M4.

Twice as many drivers were caught speeding in Avon and Somerset, which covers the Bristol area, than in any other police force area, between June 2016 and May 2018.

Slough and Halifax have the next highest number of car drivers with at least three penalty points on their licences as a percentage of population, both with 6.4%.

Across England and Wales, 2.69 million drivers currently have at least three points on their licences, and 11,090 have at least 12 points and are likely serving an automatic ban.

Almost 80,000 drivers have nine penalty points on their licenses, which means 79,463 drivers are one more motoring offence away from receiving an automatic ban.

Motorway.co.uk obtained the data on penalty points by postcode across England and Wales from the DVLA, through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made in February 2019.

The following table shows the worst postcode areas, ranked in order of highest number of drivers who have incurred at least three penalty points on their driving licences as a percentage of population.

Postcode districts

A town or city is made up of postcode districts. The most prolific postcode district for penalty points is Bristol postcode BS16. Over 5,500 drivers in BS16 currently have at least three points on their licences, more than any other postcode district in England and Wales.

The following table shows the worst postcode districts, ranked in order of highest number of drivers who have at least three penalty points on their current driving licences.

Alex Buttle, director of Motorway.co.uk, said: “It was perhaps not surprising to see most Greater London areas at the very bottom of the list for motoring offences as anyone who has spent time on main roads in the capital will understand the opportunity to break the speed limit is minimal with most main roads highly congested during peak hours.”