Penalty points are costing UK drivers over £132 million a year in higher insurance premiums, and last year 1.45 million UK motorists took part in retraining courses after committing driving offences to avoid accumulating points and a fine. This is hardly surprising as points can stay on your driving record for anywhere between four and 11 years and can see you lose your licence if you collect too many.
Unfortunately driving offences are extremely common and can get even the most law-abiding people in trouble. Whether it’s a speeding ticket through the letterbox or a court summons for something more serious, over 2.6 million motorists in the UK have penalty points on their license.
- Speed and accidents go hand-in-hand. You can check out our report on road accidents across the UK.
But which cities in the UK have the most points? Using the latest figures from the Department for Transport, we have revealed the worst postcodes around the country for drivers with the most driving penalty points.
Whilst the postcode district TS2 in the city of Cleveland, North Yorkshire, is the worst area for percentage of drivers with points, two postcodes in Bradford appear in the top 5 worst cities, meaning Bradford is the worst city for drivers with the most points. Just last year, it was revealed that Bradford drivers are still lagging behind the national average when it comes to passing their practical driving test.
Similarly, three postcodes in the town of Taunton, Somerset appear in the top 10 worst postcodes for drivers with the most penalty points. Whilst this may be an indication of poor driving in the area, the increased number of drivers with penalty points may also be as a result of particularly efficient speed cameras in the area. Five camera sites in the Avon and Somerset area have captured almost 135,000 speeding drivers between 2016 and 2018, making them the most active speed cameras in the country.
Here are the top 10 worst postcodes for drivers with the most penalty points:
| Postcode | City/Town | Drivers with full license | Drivers with points | % of drivers with points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TS2 | Cleveland | 353 | 48 | 13.6% |
| TA14 | Taunton | 2458 | 313 | 12.7% |
| BD9 | Bradford | 13655 | 1728 | 12.7% |
| BD13 | Bradford | 17885 | 2220 | 12.4% |
| BS40 | Bristol | 10842 | 1321 | 12.2% |
| PH35 | Perth | 247 | 30 | 12.1% |
| TA11 | Taunton | 7486 | 909 | 12.1% |
| BS13 | Bristol | 16808 | 2030 | 12.1% |
| TA10 | Taunton | 7992 | 965 | 12.1% |
| PH39 | Perth | 323 | 39 | 12.1% |
For more information on the worst UK postcodes with the most penalty points, you can view our interactive map.
