These are the most common driving offences - and the cities that need the most help with driving

Speeding offences have increased an average of five per cent each year (Photo: Shutterstock)Speeding offences have increased an average of five per cent each year (Photo: Shutterstock)
Speeding offences have increased an average of five per cent each year (Photo: Shutterstock)

New research has uncovered some interesting information about the driving habits of motorists around the UK.

True Solicitors analysed motoring offences over the past eight years - including where motorists were found guilty in court, fixed penalty notices and written warnings - to find the most common driving offences.

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These are the most common offences committed across the UK - and how many people have committed them over the past eight years:

  • Speeding limit offences: 15,904,000
  • Miscellaneous offences: 2,998,000
  • Licence, insurance and record keeping offences: 2,666,000
  • Dangerous, careless or drunk driving: 1,587,000
  • Vehicle test and condition offences: 626,000
  • Unauthorised taking or theft of a motor vehicle: 55,000
  • Accident offences: 40,000

Speeding offences topped the list by a huge margin. Since 2011, the number of speeding offences has increased by an average of five per cent each year.

Driving offences related to licence, insurance and record keeping - which includes driving whilst disqualified, uninsured vehicles, false statements of insurance and fraud and forgery - increased by six per cent between 2014 and 2018.

Which cities need help with their driving?

True Solicitors also analysed Google search volume for the phrase ‘driving tips’ in some of the UK’s largest cities to find out who is looking for the most help with their driving.

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The results were based on the volume of traffic, the population of the city and the ratio.

These are the cities turning to Google to ask for help with their driving:

  • Manchester, ratio: 1,050
  • London, ratio: 649
  • Glasgow, ratio: 608
  • Nottingham, ratio: 532
  • Cardiff, ratio: 531
  • Liverpool, ratio: 368
  • Sheffield, ratio: 343
  • Leeds, ratio: 320
  • Sunderland, ratio: 319
  • Stoke-on-Trent, ratio: 299

The highest number of searches for ‘driving tips’ (by ratio of population) were found to be made by motorists from Manchester, with London coming in second.

True Solicitors says, “There have been reports in the past of people turning down jobs to avoid congestion in Manchester, which could be behind the increase in searches.”

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The lowest number of searches for ‘driving tips’ was in Coventry, which indicates that motorists from Coventry feel more prepared to get back on the roads.

Overall, there had been a 71 per cent decrease in the number of people searching for ‘driving tips’ in the UK, which was an effect of lockdown rules keeping the majority of people off the roads.

How to stay safe on the roads

As people prepare to get back on the roads as lockdown rules lift around the UK, you might feel anxious about driving again.

There are steps you can take to stay safe whilst driving:

  • Do not drive when tired and always make sure to rest and stay hydrated before travelling, particularly for long journeys
  • Plan ahead - for example, arrange alternative transport and leave your car at home if you plan on drinking alcohol
  • Always keep a safe distance from other vehicles on the road, a leave a two second gap between your car and the one in front - make sure to extend this distance when the weather is bad
  • Remember to look and prepare for any vehicles that might be in your blind spot
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