Regtransfers has carried out new research based on DVLA data to discover which parts of the UK have the most penalty points on driving licences registered in the area.
Some necessary clarification
It is important to note that the data specifies the locations where the holders of endorsed licences live and not the locations where offences occurred. That means that someone living in London who received licence points for speeding in Birmingham would be counted in the figures for London, not those for Birmingham.
The top 10
The rankings of locations with the highest number of licence points on licences registered in that location are shown in the table below.
| Town/City | Registered Licences | Provisional Licences | Full Licences | Licences with Penalty Points | Total Penalty Points (area) | % of Licences with Penalty Points | Avg Points Per Licence with Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax | 128,642 | 24,137 | 104,505 | 13,032 | 53,045 | 10.13 | 4.07 |
| Huddersfield | 212,189 | 38,148 | 174,041 | 19,479 | 79,148 | 9.18 | 4.06 |
| Plymouth | 457,398 | 70,575 | 386,823 | 41,239 | 165,915 | 9.02 | 4.02 |
| Truro | 263,286 | 34,551 | 228,735 | 23,661 | 93,845 | 8.99 | 3.97 |
| Leeds | 625,967 | 137,381 | 488,586 | 53,016 | 216,524 | 8.47 | 4.08 |
| Telford | 192,025 | 31,499 | 160,526 | 15,383 | 59,719 | 8.01 | 3.88 |
| Bradford | 456,659 | 102,832 | 353,827 | 36,192 | 152,612 | 7.93 | 4.22 |
| Exeter | 489,330 | 61,461 | 427,869 | 38,700 | 150,497 | 7.91 | 3.89 |
| Wakefield | 422,266 | 78,717 | 343,549 | 32,983 | 135,104 | 7.81 | 4.1 |
| Torquay | 246,618 | 32,750 | 213,868 | 19,178 | 74,806 | 7.78 | 3.9 |
Of course, we must be cautious in speculating or drawing conclusions from this data in isolation. It may be true that, statistically, one out of every 10 drivers resident in Halifax has earned 10 licence points by committing driving-related offences, but we cannot confidently say much more than that. It is not reasonable, for example, to attribute the figures to a local culture of careless driving.
The underlying reasons for the levels of driving licence points reflected in the table are likely to be several and interrelated.
Possible factors that may contribute to the picture
Just a few of the possible reasons for the picture painted by the data are:
- The travelling habits of licence holders
- The levels of surveillance by CCTV and speeding/traffic enforcement cameras in the areas where licence holders do most of their driving
- Levels and effectiveness of police and local authority detection of driving offences and enforcement of traffic rules in areas where licence holders do most of their driving
- The quality of driving instruction and testing in different areas
Let us take the theoretical example of a reckless driver from Torquay who does most of his driving in rural areas where there are few traffic cameras and even fewer police cars. This person may have fewer points on their licence than a responsible and meticulous driver from Halifax who mostly drives in urban areas with difficult driving conditions and a high number of traffic cameras and police patrols. We need a lot more information before we can start pointing fingers.
Regtransfers says
In comments he made about the data, Regtransfers CEO Mark Trimbee acknowledged the complexity of the real situation and the various factors that may influence the figures.
“When you look at the numbers, you realise just how many people are carrying penalty points on their licence. It’s easy to assume poor driving habits are confined to big cities or motorways, but the data tells a different story, and it’s interesting to see Halifax, Huddersfield and Plymouth at the top of our data.
“You might look at the data and believe that higher points in particular regions means it’s a “hotspot” of bad activity but that’s not necessarily the case. Since you can drive anywhere in the UK, points can also be issued anywhere in the UK - somewhere other than a person’s registered address, for instance.”
A closing note on methodology
This data, sourced from the DVLA, reflects licence statuses as of 10 May 2025, and includes total registered licences, current penalty point counts, and averages among postcode regions in the UK.
The data refers to the number of registered driving licences recorded by the DVLA. This does not equate to the number of active drivers on the road; registered licence holders may be non-residents, inactive drivers or deceased, and some may have returned to legal driving status after serving disqualifications, but with penalty points remaining on record.
As such, the figures should be interpreted as indicative of licence holder records, not necessarily active drivers.
