Q1) What are the National speed limits for different vehicles and types of road?
Q2) What percentage of vehicles exceed the speed limits?
Q7) What are Speed Awareness Courses?
Q9) Is the cost of a Speed Awareness Course the same throughout the country?
Q10) How effective are speed awareness courses?
Q11) Are there any other courses designed to cover low level moving traffic offences?
Q13) How many miles of roads in Great Britain are now regularly monitored by average speed cameras?
Q15) How many fixed speed cameras on Britain’s roads are working?
Q17) Has the number of roads policing officers declined since 2010?
Q19) Are changes planned to roads policing?
Q20) How many uninsured drivers are there?
Q21) What is being done to tackle uninsured driving?
Q23) Which areas have the highest levels of uninsured drivers?
Q24) How many uninsured vehicles were seized by the police in 2023?
Q27) Do the police have powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for careless or inconsiderate driving?
Q28) How many motoring offences are dealt with by the courts in England and Wales?
Q31) What are the areas in England where local authorities have civil parking enforcement powers?
Q33) How many parking debts were passed on to bailiffs by local authorities in 2023/24?
Q34) Are further restrictions on pavement parking planned?
Q35) How many drivers are penalised for parking on private land?
Q39) How much is owed by foreign embassies in unpaid congestion charges in London?
Q40) How many practical car driving tests were taken in 2023/24 and what was the pass rate?
Q41) Can learner drivers take driving lessons on motorways?
Q42) What is the drink-drive legal alcohol limit?
Q43) Does the RAC Foundation support a lower drink/drive level?
Q45) What are the current penalties for exceeding the legal alcohol limit?
Q46) What is a drink-drive rehabilitation course?
Q47) How many breath tests are carried out in England and Wales?
Q48) Is drug driving against the law?
Q50) Is it an offence to hold a hand-held mobile phone while driving or riding?
Q51) Has the law regarding hand-held mobile phone use behind the wheel recently been tightened up?
Q53) What percentage of drivers in England have been observed using a hand-held mobile phone?
Q54) What are the penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving or riding?
Q56) What are the current levels of Vehicle Excise Duty evasion?
Q57) How can I report an untaxed vehicle?
Q58) Is seat belt use compulsory?
Q59) What percentage of drivers in England have been observed wearing seat belts?
Q60) What are the rules governing the use of a child’s car seat?
Q1) What are the National speed limits for different vehicles and types of road?
A1) There are different speed limits for cars, vans, Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and towing vehicles on different types of roads and you must not drive faster than the speed limit for the road and your type of vehicle.
Details of the national speed limits can be viewed here.
It should be noted that local councils may set their own speed limits in areas where there is a particular need. For example, there could be a 20 mph zone in a built-up area near a school or a 50 mph (rather than 60 mph) speed limit on a stretch of road with sharp bends. Local limits must be clearly signed.
Q2) What percentage of vehicles exceed the speed limits?
A2) In general, over the longer term there has been a slow decrease in the percentage of vehicles exceeding the speed limit on 30 mph roads and relatively little change on motorways. This is based on a comparison of the average for the 5 years from 2011 to 2015 with the average for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 (the latest available 5 years excluding 2020 and 2021). Compliance levels in 2020 and 2021 were affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, these years had lower levels of speed limit compliance which may be partly attributed to lower traffic levels seen throughout Great Britain during this time.
In 2023, 45 per cent of cars and 47 per cent of vans exceeded the speed limit on motorways in free flow conditions. 8 per cent of cars and 10 per cent of vans exceeded the speed limit by 10 mph or more in free flow conditions. Compliance with the speed limit on motorways by articulated HGVs in 2023 was very high, with only 2 per cent of vehicles exceeding the speed limit. The low percentage of articulated HGVs exceeding the speed limit on motorways may be influenced to legislation requiring all HGVs over 3.5 tonnes to be fitted with speed limiters to 56mph.
Across all road types in free flow conditions, the highest level of speed limit compliance for cars in 2023 was on national speed limit single carriageways with 9 per cent of cars exceeding the speed limit (60 mph). For other classes of vehicles, compliance with speed limits on this type of road is lower with 46 per cent of short buses (under 12m), 40 per cent of rigid HGVs and 36 per cent of articulated HGVs exceeding the speed limit. (Statistics on van compliance are not collated on national speed limit single carriageways.)
44 per cent of cars and 45 per cent of vans exceeded the speed limit on 30 mph roads in free flow conditions. For the larger-sized vehicle types, there were also high levels of speed limit exceedance, with 37 per cent of rigid HGVs and 36 per cent of articulated HGVs exceeding the speed limit in free flow conditions.
For 20 mph roads, the statistics come with a warning that the ‘free flow’ 20 mph sites in this data set will tend to be unrepresentative of 20 mph limits in general. With that proviso, under free-flow conditions, 84 per cent of cars exceeded the speed limit at the 20mph sites where data are available; and 16 per cent exceeded the speed limit by over 10mph.
Source: Vehicle speed compliance statistics for Great Britain: 2023
Q3) Are there any guidelines as to when the police should issue a Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecute drivers driving over the speed limit?
A3) The law is the law and police forces have the right to penalise anyone who is breaking the speed limit. However, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) previously quoted the following guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) (now superseded by The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC)), though that guidance is no longer available either on the CPS website nor is it on the NPCC website.
The revised speed enforcement policy guidance issued by ACPO in 2013 suggests that enforcement will normally occur when a driver exceeds the speed limit by a particular margin. The particular margin is normally 10 per cent over the speed limit plus 2 mph. The guidance sets guidelines for when it would be appropriate to issue a fixed penalty notice or for the driver to attend a speed awareness course, and when it becomes appropriate to issue a summons. These are guidelines only and a police officer has discretion to act outside of them providing he acts fairly, consistently and proportionately.
In summary the guidelines are:
Speed limit: 20 mph
ACPO threshold for:
- a fixed penalty or a Speed Awareness course: 24 mph
- summoning: 35 mph
Speed limit: 30 mph
ACPO threshold for:
- a fixed penalty or a Speed Awareness course: 35 mph
- summoning: 50 mph
Speed limit: 40 mph
ACPO threshold for:
- a fixed penalty or a Speed Awareness course: 46 mph
- summoning: 66 mph
Speed limit: 50 mph
ACPO threshold for:
- a fixed penalty or a Speed Awareness course: 57 mph
- summoning: 76 mph
Speed limit: 60 mph
ACPO threshold for:
- a fixed penalty or a Speed Awareness course: 68 mph
- summoning: 86 mph
Speed limit: 70 mph
ACPO threshold for:
- a fixed penalty or a Speed Awareness course: 79 mph
- summoning: 96 mph
Q4) Are there differences between the ways in which the police forces of England and Wales enforce speed limits and dispose of speeding cases?
A4) Yes. Analysis of Home Office figures has revealed large differences between the police forces of England and Wales in the way they enforce speed limits and dispose of speeding cases, with the number of drivers being detected for speeding more than 275 times higher in some parts of England and Wales than others.
In 2021, 2,854,757 speeding offences were detected in England and Wales, an 18 per cent increase on the 2,424,882 figure for the previous 12 months. Of the instances of speeding that did not get cancelled (see question below):-
- 1,225,147 (42.9 per cent of the 2,854,757 total) were disposed of with a speed awareness course
- 853,811 (29.9 per cent) ended in a fixed penalty notice
- 290,239 (10.2 per cent) ended in court action
The analysis also shows that there continues to be large disparities between forces in the number of speeding offences detected. Whilst the Metropolitan Police (including the City of London) topped the list with 385,349 people caught speeding in 2021 (followed by West Yorkshire (226,285) and Avon (166,781) at the other end of the scale Wiltshire Constabulary caught only 1,397 people speeding, Cleveland 15,519 and North Wales 18,958.
The variations across police forces are likely to include road network length, road type, traffic volume and makeup, local priorities dictated by police and crime commissioners, financial and human resources, and the availability of detection technology. In Wiltshire, for example, all speed cameras were turned off in 2010.
There are also large variations in the way offenders were punished, with the proportion of speeding offenders sent on a speed awareness course showing widespread regional variation. For example, in Wales (excluding North Wales) only 165 offenders (0.4 per cent) were sent on a speed awareness course whereas at the other end of the scale 62 per cent of offenders detected in South Yorkshire were sent on a course.
Detailed figures for all constabularies in England and Wales can be viewed here.
Q5) How many speeding offences detected by police forces in England and Wales in 2021 ended up being cancelled?
A5) RAC Foundation analysis of government data suggests more than one in six speeding offences detected by police forces in England and Wales ended up being cancelled.
During 2021, a total of 2,854,757 cases of speeding were recorded by constabularies in the two countries and later reported to the Home Office. However, 476,384 (16.7 per cent) of these were later cancelled.
The reasons why offences go on to be cancelled is not recorded but could include:-
- Faulty or incorrectly calibrated speed cameras
- Cloned vehicles carrying a false number plate
- Emergency vehicles lawfully breaking the speed limit whilst driving with blue lights
- A delay in issuing notices of intended prosecution
- A lack of resources to bring cases to court
Q6) How many motorists have been fined for breaking a 20 mph speed limit and is enforcement uniform throughout the country?
A6) Motorists received more than 216,000 fines for travelling between 20mph and 30mph in 2023, four times more than in 2018, a freedom of information (FOI) request by The Times newspaper has shown.
The FOI responses also show huge variations in enforcement, with the overwhelming majority of fines coming from just two police forces. Avon and Somerset and the Metropolitan Police between them issued 97 per cent of the 700,000 tickets handed out for 20mph offences since 2018, while 17 forces have issued no tickets or fewer than 100 over the same period.
The Metropolitan Police alone has issued 595,000 of the fines whilst Avon and Somerset police has issued 87,000 of the fines, 12 times more than any other force in the country outside of London.
Over the same period, six forces — Lancashire, West Mercia, Cleveland, Humberside, Warwickshire and Lincolnshire — have not issued a single ticket for 20mph offences despite all of them having 20mph limits in operation. A further 11 forces, including Greater Manchester Police, have issued fewer than 100 tickets for the same offence.
Q7) What are Speed Awareness Courses?
A7) The National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme allows Chief Constables to offer eligible offenders who admit the offence of speeding an opportunity to attend a speed awareness course on the effects and dangers of speeding as an alternative to a speeding fine and penalty points.
The courses aim to influence the attitudes and behaviour of drivers by directly challenging attitudes towards speeding, to offer motorists insight, awareness and understanding about their speed choices and to help equip participants to change their behaviour.
Q8) How many drivers have opted to attend a Speed Awareness Course rather than accept penalty points on their licences?
A8) In 2024, the number of drivers that opted to attend a National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme speed awareness course rather than accept penalty points on their driving licence was 1,650,322. This is a 4 per cent increase over the previous year (1,576,401) and is the highest yearly number ever recorded.
Source: National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme: Trends and Statistics
Q9) Is the cost of a Speed Awareness Course the same throughout the country?
A9) No. There are big differences in what drivers can expect to pay for Speed Awareness Courses depending on where they live.
Prices vary, but a course typically costs between £70 and £100. Motorists attending a Speed Awareness Course in Cleveland and Durham paid £73, while those attending in Humberside paid 30 per cent more (£95).
Police forces are permitted to claim a maximum of £45 from the course cost to cover fees associated with administering the courses.
Q10) How effective are speed awareness courses?
A10) In a study commissioned by the Department for Transport and carried out by Ipsos MORI, it was found that targeting the behaviour of motorists through these courses reduced the likelihood of re-offending within six months by up to 23 per cent. The report also concluded that over a period of three years, taking part in the course was more effective at reducing speed re-offending than a fine and penalty points.
Source: Impact Evaluation of the National Speed Awareness Course: Final Report
Q11) Are there any other courses designed to cover low level moving traffic offences?
A11) Yes. There are a range of courses run under the auspices of the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme.
These include Safe and Considerate Driving Courses aimed at drivers who have been involved in a collision without serious consequences, where their driving has amounted to a lapse of concentration or an error of judgement and a National Motorway Awareness Course for motorists driving on motorways, who have been detected exceeding the active variable speed limit or who have passed through a mandatory Red X lane closure signal or committed infringements occurring on hard shoulders and emergency refuge areas.
A full list of the available courses can be viewed here.
Q12) What is the total number of road users who have completed a driver retraining course since their introduction in 2010?
A12) About 20.26 million road users have completed a driver retraining course since their introduction in 2010.
In 2024, 1,997,735 million people accepted a place on one of the seven courses sometimes offered by police as an alternative to a fine and/or points on a licence.
Source: National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme: Trends and Statistics
Q13) How many miles of roads in Great Britain are now regularly monitored by average speed cameras?
A13) More than 250 miles of roads in Great Britain are now being regularly monitored by average speed cameras.
Research carried out for the RAC Foundation by Road Safety Analysis in May 2016 identified at least 50 stretches of road which are permanently managed by the cameras with a total length of 256 miles under observation. Average speed cameras are also often used on a temporary basis to manage traffic through roadworks but these are not included in this study.
The 50 stretches range in length from just a quarter of a mile over Tower Bridge in London to 99 miles on the A9 between Dunblane and Inverness in Scotland.
Q14) Does the use of average speed cameras cut the number of crashes resulting in death or serious injury?
A14) The use of average speed cameras has been found, on average, to cut the number of crashes resulting in death or serious injury by more than a third.
Research for the RAC Foundation by Road Safety Analysis found that on average – having allowed for natural variation and overall trends – the number of fatal and serious collisions decreases by 36 per cent after average speed cameras are introduced.
The average reduction in personal injury collisions of all severities was found to be 16 per cent.
Source: The Effectiveness of Average Speed Cameras in Great Britain
Q15) How many fixed speed cameras on Britain’s roads are working?
A15) According to information published by the Press Association in November 2017, only around half of the fixed speed cameras on British roads are switched on. In Scotland, less than 29% of fixed cameras are switched on.
The Press Association sent a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to all 45 police forces in the UK and their speed camera partnership. The 36 forces which responded with data had a total 2,838 cameras, of which 1,486 were active. Nine refused to disclose the information or failed to respond.
Cleveland, Durham, North Yorkshire and Northamptonshire said none of their fixed speed cameras were active.
All of the police forces that responded to the FoI request said they regularly sent out mobile speed cameras across their jurisdictions. Figures from these cameras were not included in the disclosures.
Q16) Which speed cameras caught the highest number of speeding drivers in the financial year 2021/22?
A16) Confused.com sent a Freedom of Information request to all 46 police forces regarding the number of intended prosecutions for speeding offences captured by cameras in their areas. Some 36 forces responded with figures.
According to the data provided, cameras on the 40mph stretch of the A40 in North-West London between Long Drive and Welland Gardens caught the highest number of people speeding. These cameras on the stretch of the road heading into the capital caught 49,050 speeding drivers in the last financial year according to the Metropolitan Police.
Cameras on the M25 in Surrey and the M4 near Bristol were the next highest locations where motorists were caught speeding.
The top 10 sections of road where drivers were most commonly caught speeding can be viewed here.
Source: Confused.com
Q17) Has the number of roads policing officers declined since 2010?
A17) Over the past decade, the number of roads policing officers has decreased substantially. While the total number of police officers fell by around 13 per cent since 2010, the number of dedicated roads policing officers fell by 22 per cent from 5,634 to 4,355 between the years 2010 and 2014.
Since 2015, statistics appear to show the number of roads policing officers increased. However, this is not the case. In 2015 the Home Office replaced the old functions framework, meaning police functions data for 2015 and beyond cannot be compared to data collected under the old framework. Between the years 2015 and 2019, there was actually a further reduction in the number of roads policing officers of 18 per cent from 5,220 to 4,276.
In 2019, dedicated roads policing officers made up only around 4 per cent of total force strength. Furthermore, of those dedicated officers, many are often “double-hatted” – responsible for carrying out other functions within the force which often take priority.
Source: PACTS: Roads policing and its contribution to road safety
A further briefing note by Roadpeace on the decline in roads policing officers can be viewed here.
Q18) Would an increase in the number of roads policing officers improve road safety and help tackle wider crime?
A18) Those who break the law by driving dangerously pose a considerable threat to other road users and remain responsible for a substantial loss of life on the roads. Evidence shows that improved enforcement can significantly reduce the number of fatal and serious injuries and it is clear that there is a relationship between roads policing and road safety – more enforcement tends to improve compliance, and to reduce collisions and casualties.
Since 2010, the long-term decline in the number of road deaths and serious injuries has largely ceased. It is widely suggested that this is at least partly due to reductions in roads policing as enforcement of traffic laws – in well-targeted operations, by combinations of trained officers and technology – does indeed improve compliance and reduce casualties. As the number of dedicated roads policing officers has fallen, so too has the number of motoring offences detected, precipitously so for some offences such as failure to wear a seat belt. Only for speeding, where enforcement has largely been automated, has there been an increase.
Active roads policing can also help reduce wider crime. Evidence shows that there is an above-average likelihood that – when compared with the general population – serious motoring offenders may also be engaged in wider criminality. For example, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau records show that drivers without insurance are more likely to be involved in other crimes, and that uninsured vehicles are consistently used to conduct wider criminal activity. Disruption of the mobility of serious motoring offenders may therefore have benefits beyond road safety.
Source: PACTS: Roads policing and its contribution to road safety
Q19) Are changes planned to roads policing?
A19) Possibly. A report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue (HMICFRS) published in July 2020 concluded that roads policing and the contribution that it makes to overall road safety is a central function of the police. However, the report also found that the importance of roads policing has diminished in recent years and that there is an absence of effective strategies, both nationally and locally, resulting in an approach that is inconsistent and, in some forces, inadequate. In the light of those findings, the report made 13 recommendations designed to improve the effectiveness of roads policing in England and Wales.
Source: HMICFRS – Roads Policing: Not optional – An inspection of roads policing in England and Wales
In addition, the Department for Transport has instituted a roads policing review. This review is being undertaken with the Home Office, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other agencies. The review seeks to identify which current enforcement methods work best plus how the capability and capacity of enforcement services can be enhanced.
Source: Roads policing review – Call for evidence
The response of the RAC Foundation to this review can be viewed here.
Q20) How many uninsured drivers are there?
A20) Data recently released by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau shows that there is an average of 300,000 uninsured vehicles on UK roads every day. As vehicles may be uninsured for months at a time, the total number uninsured across the year is over 1 million.
Uninsured driving is a huge problem to society, causing devastation to innocent victims and their families. It also has strong links to secondary driving-related offences including speeding, drink or drug driving, and unroadworthy vehicles, and even crimes such as money laundering or drug running.
Q21) What is being done to tackle uninsured driving?
A21) You must have motor insurance to drive your vehicle on a UK road and a wide range of measures are in place to prevent and enforce against uninsured drivers.
In 2011, the Government introduced the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) rules. These rules require all vehicles to either have valid motor insurance, or if a vehicle is not being used, to be registered with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) at the DVLA. Under the CIE scheme, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) and DVLA work in partnership to continuously identify uninsured vehicles by systematically comparing DVLA vehicle records against motor insurance policies held on the Motor Insurance Database (MID).
The registered keeper of a vehicle that appears to be uninsured will be sent an Insurance Advisory Letter (IAL). This letter will advise them that their vehicle appears to be uninsured and that unless they take action, they will receive a penalty from the DVLA. If, after receiving an IAL, a registered keeper fails to comply with the advice set out in the letter they can face:
- A fixed penalty notice of £100
- Their vehicle being clamped, seized and disposed of
- A court prosecution and a maximum fine of £1000.
In addition, the police use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to identify vehicles that appear to be uninsured. If a member of the public denies that their vehicle is uninsured, a police offer can liaise with Police Helpline Agents at the MIB to confirm whether a valid insurance policy is in place. The police have the power to seize any uninsured vehicle being used on a public road. New legislation introduced in April 2023 increased the removal charge for seized cars and light vans to £192 and the storage charge to £26 per day. There is also a disposal charge of £96 and vehicles not reclaimed after 14 days can be disposed of by the police.
The police will also give drivers a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points if they are caught driving a vehicle they are not insured to drive. Alternatively, if the case goes to court, an uninsured driver could also get an unlimited fine or be disqualified from driving and receive up to 8 points on their licence.
Q22) How can I ensure that my insurance remains valid and that I do not drive uninsured accidentally?
A22) The top tips to ensure your insurance remains valid include:-
- Not assuming that your motor insurance policy is set to auto-renew
- Checking that your payment method is still valid when your renewal is due
- Not assuming that fully-comprehensive cover allows you to drive someone else’s vehicle
- Remembering to SORN a vehicle if it is being taken off the road and not used
- Checking your insurance allows for the class-of-use required, such as commuting or making food or parcel deliveries
Q23) Which areas have the highest levels of uninsured drivers?
A23) New data from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), which is based on 2 years of MIB claim data, highlights the hotspots for uninsured driving.
The West Midlands postal areas account for eight of the top 15 hotspots. However, postcodes within Northumbria, London, Thames Valley, South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester also feature.
Interestingly, 30 claims against uninsured drivers from Croydon were submitted to the MIB – the highest number in one postal district in the UK. However, due to the dense population of the area, it only ranked 176th on the hotspot list.
The top 15 hotspots for uninsured driving can be viewed here.
Source: Motor Insurers’ Bureau
In addition, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau also released figures in March 2023 that set out London’s top 20 postal hotspots for uninsured driving. Enfield, Barking and Dagenham and Havering were named as the worst three London boroughs for the issue
The insight also revealed London has the highest number of uninsured drivers in the country, with nearly one fifth of offenders residing in the capital.
Full details can be viewed here.
Q24) How many uninsured vehicles were seized by the police in 2023?
A24) According to information supplied by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, 124,997 vehicles were seized across the UK because they had no insurance in 2023. This number is very similar to the 123,443 uninsured vehicles seized across the UK in 2022.
Q25) How many uninsured vehicles have been seized in total since powers to stop and seize uninsured vehicles were introduced in 2005?
A25) According to information supplied by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, over 2.6 million uninsured vehicles have been seized since powers to stop and seize uninsured vehicles were introduced in 2005.
Q26) How many Fixed Penalty Notices are issued by the Police in England and Wales for motoring offences?
A26) A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) is a prescribed financial penalty which may be issued to a motorist as an alternative to prosecution. They can be issued for a limited range of motoring offences, such as speeding offences and using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. An FPN can be endorsable (accompanied by points on a driving licence) or non-endorsable (not accompanied by points on a driving licence).
In the year ending December 2023, excluding the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and 474,323 cancelled cases, there were 2,698,373, motoring offences recorded by the national fixed penalty processing system (PentiP) which resulted in a fixed penalty notice (FPN) or another outcome, an increase of 11 per cent compared with the previous year (2,437,451), and the highest recorded since comparable records began in 2011
(NOTE:- Not all forces exclusively use the PentiP system to record motoring offences. For example, several police forces including Durham, North Wales, South Wales, Gwent, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire do not record all outcomes of motoring offences on the PentiP system. Therefore, it is likely that the data published is not a complete record of all motoring offences that occur in England and Wales and is potentially an undercount).
Of the 2,698,373 motoring offences recorded which resulted in an FPN or another outcome:-
- 868,743 cases resulted in the driver receiving an endorsable FPN (32 per cent)
- 107,336 cases resulted in a non-endorsable FPN (4 per cent)
- an individual attended a driver retraining course in 1,370,612 cases (51 per cent)
- 351,682 cases resulted in court action (13 per cent)
The number of endorsable FPNs declined sharply between 2012 and 2013, corresponding with a large increase in driver retraining outcomes. The number of endorsable FPNs issued remained stable between 2014 and 2019 but following a decline in 2020 (to 765,346 during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period in which road usage fell) the data has shown small fluctuations, with the latest year however showing a larger increase of 9 per cent (to 868,743).
The number of non-endorsable FPNs had fallen year-on-year from 2011 to 2018, but increased in 2019 (to 98,321). With the exception of a fall in 2020 (likely due to the pandemic), the number of non-endorsable FPNs has remained fairly stable since 2019 until the latest year in 2023 in which there was an increase of 10 per cent to 107,336.
Over four-fifths (86 per cent) of the motoring offences recorded on PentiP were for speed limit offences (2,324,542). This was up 10 per cent compared with the year ending December 2022 (when there were 2,114,946 offences) and is the highest number of speed limit offences recorded since 2011. Between 2011 and 2023, the number of speed limit offences increased at a faster rate than the amount of road traffic in Great Britain. Since 2011, the only noteworthy year-on-year decline in speeding offences was in 2020, likely due to the pandemic. The majority of ‘speed limit offences’ (98%) were detected by a camera, a similar proportion to 2022 and pre-pandemic levels.
Following the reported reduction in traffic volumes due to the pandemic in 2020, the majority of offences showed an increase in detection in 2021. Following a more mixed picture in 2022 where there were decreases in some offence types, most offence types showed increases in 2023 apart from ‘miscellaneous motoring offences’ (a 14 per cent decrease) and ‘work record or employment offences’ (an 11 per cent decrease).
As well as the notable increase recorded for speed limit offences, offences of ‘use of hand-held mobile phones’ (up 9,066 or 33 per cent) and ‘neglect of traffic signs and direction and pedestrian rights’ (18,693 or 23 per cent) also saw large volume increases.
In 2020, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) introduced a new system for recording FPNs. This system change is likely to affect the total number of FPNs and the way in which outcomes are recorded (especially cancelled FPNs). So figures for the MPS are shown separately below.
In 2023, excluding cancelled cases (375,352), the MPS reported 498,408 motoring offences which resulted in an FPN or another outcome by the MPS. This was a decrease of 1 per cent compared with the previous year (502,245), although still higher than previous years; prior to this year there had been a year-on-year increase for the force since 2014. However, the long-term change should be interpreted with caution, due to the system change.
Looking at the MPS data by outcome, in 2023 163,579 cases resulted in a driver receiving an FPN (33 per cent of the overall cases, excluding cancelled FPN’s). An individual attended a driver retraining course in 271,241 cases (54 per cent) and 63,588 cases resulted in court action (13 per cent).
Looking at the MPS data by offence type, close to four-fifths (78 per cent) of motoring offences recorded were for speed limit offences (390,403), a lower proportion of the total than the rest of England and Wales (86 per cent of motoring offences). The number of speed limit offences recorded by the MPS increased by 3 per cent in 2023, from 380,638 to 390,403, and is now close to 3 times higher than the number of offences recorded before the pandemic (138,447). This may be in-part due to the Vision Zero action plan, in which the MPS and Transport for London are seeking to reduce harm on London’s roads by 2041, through different initiatives such as the introduction of lower speed limits.
‘Neglect of traffic signs and directions and of pedestrian rights’ also showed an increase, up 11 per cent from 39,707 offences up to 43,914 offences.
Aside from ‘miscellaneous motoring offences’, which saw a very small volume increase (up by 6 to 37 offences), all other offence types saw a decrease, with licence, insurance and record keeping offences showing the largest fall (down 7,898 or 27 per cent). Although offences of ‘use of a handheld mobile phone while driving’ showed a decrease in the latest year ( down 13 per cent) the volume recorded in 2023 (8,796) was still higher compared with pre-pandemic levels (4,853 in 2019).
Source: Police powers and procedures: Roads policing, to December 2023
Q27) Do the police have powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for careless or inconsiderate driving?
A27) Yes. Fixed Penalty Notices can be issued to drivers who put other road users at risk by driving below the minimum standard expected of a competent and careful driver. This includes driving without reasonable consideration for other road users.
Some examples of careless or inconsiderate driving are:-
- overtaking on the inside
- driving too close to another vehicle
- driving through a red light by mistake
- turning into the path of another vehicle
- the driver being avoidably distracted by tuning the radio, lighting a cigarette etc
- flashing lights to force other drivers to give way
- misusing lanes to gain advantage over other drivers
- unnecessarily staying in an overtaking lane
- unnecessarily slow driving or braking
- dazzling other drivers with un-dipped headlights
The fixed penalty for careless driving is £100 with 3 points on the driver’s licence. The most serious examples will continue to go through court, where offenders may face higher penalties.
Q28) How many motoring offences are dealt with by the courts in England and Wales?
A28) The number of prosecutions for motoring offences in England and Wales increased by 6 per cent from 694,000 in 2022 to 733,000 in 2023, 4 per cent higher than the level seen pre-pandemic in 2019. Convictions increased by 5 per cent in the latest year, from 641,000 in 2022 to 673,000 in 2023, with sentencing following the same trend.
The increase in motoring offences prosecutions was driven, in part, by an increase in vehicle registration and excise license offences, vehicle insurance offences, and using or causing others to use a handheld mobile phone whilst driving. However, it was partially offset by reductions in speed limit offences and failing to supply information as to the identity of driver when required. Vehicle insurance offences, vehicle registration and excise licence offences, and speed limit offences remained the most common motoring offences, collectively accounting for 65 per cent of all motoring prosecutions in 2023.
Prosecutions for motoring offences which caused death increased by 31 per cent in the latest year, from 357 in 2022 to 467 in 2023. The custody rate for these offences fluctuated between 55 per cent and 67 per cent over the last 5 years and was 65 per cent in 2023.
95 per cent of sentences for motoring offences were dealt with by a fine in 2023. The average fine for motoring offences decreased from £323 in 2022 to £311 in 2023. The overall custody rate was 1 per cent, with an average custodial sentence length of 10.4 months, which is an increase of 1.9 months compared to 2022.
The number of sentenced offenders directly disqualified for motoring offences decreased by 5 per cent in the latest year, from 77,600 in 2022 to 73,700 in 2023. In addition, 40,600 offenders were disqualified by the penalty points system, a decrease of 9 per cent compared to 2022. A further 367,800 offenders received points on their licence without a disqualification; a 7 per cent decrease compared to 2022.
Source: Criminal Justice Statistics quarterly, England and Wales, December 2023
Q29) How many individuals have points on their driving licences and how long do these points stay on a licence?
A29) In February 2025, 3,001,294 people had penalty points on the licences recorded at DVLA (out of a total number of 52,799,687 licences recorded at DVLA).
This means about 5.7 per cent of drivers have points on their licences.
Source: GB Driving Licence Data
Endorsements stay on a driving record for 4 or 11 years depending on the offence. This can start from either the date a person is convicted or the date of the offence.
The endorsement is ‘valid’ for the first:-
- 3 years, for a 4-year endorsement
- 10 years, for an 11-year endorsement
Full details about penalty points (endorsements) can be viewed here.
Q30) What guidance is issued to local authorities on the civil enforcement of parking contraventions?
A30) The Department for Transport’s Statutory Guidance to local authorities on the civil enforcement of parking contraventions can be viewed here.
Q31) What are the areas in England where local authorities have civil parking enforcement powers?
A31) A map and list of the local authorities who have civil parking enforcement powers can be viewed here.
Q32) How many Penalty Charge Notices are issued by local authorities in England and Wales with Civil Parking Enforcement powers and how many are appealed against?
A32) In 2022/23, the total number of parking Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued by local authorities in England outside London was 5,031,516. This is about 1.4 per cent higher than the 4,968,158 PCNs issued in 2021/22.
The number of parking PCNs appealed to the tribunal in 2022/23 was 6,949. Of these, 1,970 appeals were allowed, 2,902 refused and 1,864 not contested by the local authority. 207 were subject to a consent order.
The number of Bus Lane PCNs issued by local authorities in England outside London in 2022/23 was 1,910,540, down from 2,129,652 PCNs in 2021/22.
In 2022/23, the total number of parking PCNs issued by local authorities in Wales was 310,351, up from 259,239 in 2021/22.
The number of parking PCNs appealed to the tribunal in 2022/23 was 612. Of these, 155 appeals were allowed, 239 refused and 205 not contested by the local authority. 12 were subject to a consent order.
The number of Bus Lane PCNs issued by local authorities in Wales in 2022/23 was 83,690, up nearly 150 per cent from 33,803 in 2021/22. In addition, Welsh local authorities also issued 82,619 PCNs for moving traffic offences in 2022/23, up from 73,809 in 2021/22.
Full details relating to the various PCNs that were issued, and appeals made to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, can be seen in the Appeals Data.
A copy of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal: England and Wales Annual Report may also be seen here.
Source: Traffic Penalty Tribunal, England & Wales: Appeals Data
In 2023/24, the total number of PCNs issued by the London boroughs, London Lorry Control Scheme and Transport for London (across the full range of parking, bus lane and moving traffic regulations) was 8,337,417. This represents a 9.7 per cent increase in the total number of PCNs issued from 2022/23 (7,599,875).
The number of Parking PCNs issued in 2023/24 was 4,560,690, up 11.2 per cent from the 4,100,177 PCNs issued in the previous year.
319,357 Bus Lane PCNs were issued – up 1.9 per cent on the previous year – and 3,453,439 moving traffic PCNs were also issued – up 8.5 per cent on the previous year.
Source: London Councils
In 2023/24, 42,497 appeals against PCNs issued in London and 4,879 statutory declaration/witness statements referrals were received in the reporting period by the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators. 35,152 appeals were determined of which 17,133 appeals were allowed (8,899 were not contested) and 18,019 were refused.
Source: Environment and Traffic appeals statistics 2023/24
Q33) How many parking debts were passed on to bailiffs by local authorities in 2023/24?
A33) Parking debts were passed on to bailiffs by local authorities on 4 million occasions in 2023/24 according to a report carried in the Times newspaper.
This is up from 2.4 million in 2022/23, 1.9 million in 2019/20 and 1.3 million in 2017/18.
The figures were collected by the Civil Enforcement Association which compiled the figures from companies working for local authorities.
Q34) Are further restrictions on pavement parking planned?
A34) Possibly. The previous government launched a consultation on bringing in further restrictions on pavement parking in August 2020.
Three options were put forward:
- Improving the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process, under which local authorities can already prohibit pavement parking.
- A legislative change to allow local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers to enforce against ‘unnecessary obstruction of the pavement’.
- A legislative change to introduce a London-style pavement parking prohibition throughout England.
The consultation closed on 22 November 2020.
The current government announced in its English Devolution White Paper – issued in December 2024 – that it intended to publish a formal response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation.
Pavement parking is already banned in Scotland. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 bans pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs, with certain exemptions designated by local authorities – for example to ensure safe access for emergency vehicles. From 11 December 2023, local authorities began to enforce the law.
Q35) How many drivers are penalised for parking on private land?
A35) A record number of vehicle keeper records were bought by private companies in 2023/24. Government data shows that the DVLA sold 12,768,101 vehicle keeper records to car park management companies in 2023/24. This is about 15 per cent higher than the 11,052,986 records bought by companies in the previous financial year.
It means that companies are requesting an average of about 35,000 records every day.
The information is used to pursue drivers for penalties of up to £100 a time for supposed infringements of the rules in privately run car parks like those found at shopping centres, leisure facilities and motorway service areas.
The DVLA charges private companies £2.50 per record.
Source: RAC Foundation
Latest figures show that in the first 6 months of 2024/25, 7,228,377 vehicle keeper records were bought by private companies.
Should this number of requests continue at the same rate in the remainder of the year, nearly 14.5 million requests will be made. This would be far higher than the 12.77 million requests made in 2023/24, which itself was the highest number of requests ever recorded.
Q36) Has the number of vehicle keeper records obtained by car park management companies from the DVLA increased over recent years?
A36) Yes. The number of vehicle keeper records requested by car park management companies has exploded since 2012 when wheel clamping on private land was all but outlawed.
The number of requests has risen from 1.57 million in 2011/12 to 12.77 million in 2023/24.
Full details of the number of vehicle keeper records requested by car park management companies made in each year going back to 2006/07 can be viewed here in the data section of our website.
Q37) Has there been an increase in the number of car park management companies accessing vehicle records from DVLA so they can issue penalties to drivers on private land?
A37) Some 183 car park management companies requested vehicle owner records in the year to the end of March 2023, up from 177 in the previous 12 months. This also compares with 97 firms who brought vehicle-keeper records from DVLA in 2016/17.
ParkingEye was the most active, buying 2.1 million records, an increase of 300,000 on the number of records they bought in the previous 12 months.
Source: RAC Foundation
Q38) How many appeals were registered with Parking On Private Land Appeals (POPLA) and how many were upheld?
A38) Between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023, POPLA received 93,085 appeals.
66,341 appeals were decided. Of these, 14,840 were allowed and 51,501 refused.
In addition to the appeals decided, parking operators decided not to contest 22,285 appeals and appellants 3,846 appeals. This means that of the 92,472 appeals that completed the POPLA process, 37,125 resulted in the motorist’s parking charge being cancelled – 40 per cent of all decided appeals.
Source: POPLA Annual Report 2023
Q39) How much is owed by foreign embassies in unpaid congestion charges in London?
A39) Since the congestion charging scheme was introduced in London in 2003, £152,436,135 of congestion charge fines have not been paid by foreign embassies. (Figures correct at 30 September 2024).
The United States has the greatest amount of unpaid fines, owing a total of £15.160 million. They are followed by Japan (£10.423 million) and China (£9.303 million).
88 diplomatic missions owe more than £100,000 in fines and overall, 154 diplomatic missions owe fines.
Source: Transport for London
Q40) How many practical car driving tests were taken in 2023/24 and what was the pass rate?
A40) Over the course of the 2023/24 financial year, 1,945,225 car practical driving tests were conducted in Great Britain. Compared to the year-ending March 2023, this was an increase of about 15 per cent on the 1,688,955 car practical tests that were undertaken in the previous year.
The pass rate was 47.9 per cent, slightly down on the previous year’s 48.4 per cent.
Full details on the numbers and pass rates for all driving and riding theory and practical tests can be viewed in the source document and table.
Source: Driver and rider testing and instructor statistics: April 2023 to March 2024 and Table DRT 1101
Q41) Can learner drivers take driving lessons on motorways?
A41) Yes. From Monday 4 June 2018, learner drivers can take driving lessons on motorways in England, Scotland and Wales. This change does not extend to learner motorcylists.
Learner drivers will need to be:-
- accompanied by an approved driving instructor
- driving a car fitted with dual controls
Full details can be viewed here.
Q42) What is the drink-drive legal alcohol limit?
A42) The legal alcohol limit for drivers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is:-
• 80 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood (80mg/100ml), or
• 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 ml of breath, or
• 107 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of urine
In March 2011 the Government announced it would not be following the advice of the North Review on Drink and Drug Driving Law and reducing the current drink/drive limit from 80mg to 50mg.
The position is different in Scotland where a new legal alcohol limit was introduced on December 5 2014. Here, the limit is:-
• 50 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood (50mg/100ml), or
• 22 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 ml of breath, or
• 67 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of urine
Q43) Does the RAC Foundation support a lower drink/drive level?
A43) Yes. The RAC Foundation is amongst a coalition of road safety charities, emergency services and health groups who have called on MPs to reduce the drink driving limit in England and Wales.
The call comes after statistics show no progress has been made on drink driving since 2010, with 240 deaths and more than 8,000 casualties reported each year.
England and Wales have one of the highest drink-drive limits in the world. Set at 80mg alcohol per 100ml blood, it is greater than the rest of Europe (with the exception only of Malta), as well as Commonwealth countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Government of Malta announced recently plans to lower the drink-drive limit to 50mg in a new National Alcohol Policy to reduce harm.
Scotland lowered its limit to 50mg in December 2014, and police figures showed a 12.5% decrease in drink-drive offences in the first nine months. Northern Ireland is set to introduce before the end of 2018 a two-tier drink drive limit, with the general drink-drive limit down to 50mg/100ml, in line with Scotland, and an even lower limit for new and professional drivers.
Q44) If England and Wales had adopted the same drink-drive level as Scotland, how many lives might have been saved?
A44) It is estimated that had the drink drive limit been lowered from 80 to 50mg/100ml at the beginning of 2010, then in every year between 2010 and 2013 about 25 lives would have been saved and 95 people saved from serious injury.
The estimates come from research by Professor Richard Allsop in his report Saving Lives by Lowering the Legal Drink-Drive Limit. The work was jointly commissioned by the RAC Foundation and PACTS.
Q45) What are the current penalties for exceeding the legal alcohol limit?
A45) You could be imprisoned, banned from driving and face a fine if you’re found guilty of drink-driving. The actual penalty you get is up to the magistrates who hear your case, and depends on your offence.
Drivers who drive, or attempt to drive, while over the legal alcohol limit face penalties of:-
• up to 6 months in prison
• an unlimited fine
• a minimum of 12 months’ disqualification (3 years for a second offence within 10 years)
Full details of all the penalties that could be incurred through drink-driving can be viewed here.
Q46) What is a drink-drive rehabilitation course?
A46) If you have been found guilty of a drink-drive offence and your ban is for 12 months or more, you can be offered a rehabilitation course to reduce your driving ban. The ban is usually reduced by a quarter provided the course is completed within a certain time.
Further details can be viewed here.
Q47) How many breath tests are carried out in England and Wales?
A47) In the year ending December 2023, across all 43 territorial police forces, there were 276,914 breath tests carried out by police. This was a 3 per cent increase compared with the year ending December 2022 when comparing data for the 40 forces who were able to provide comparable data in both years (from 253,266 in 2022 to 259,615 in 2023).
Although the volume of in breath tests in 2023 was higher than it was in 2020 and 2021 (years that were affected by pandemic restrictions), the volume remains well below the peak of 647,380 breath tests carried out in 2009 (not including the forces who could not provide complete breath tests data for each year between 2002 and 2023).
In 2023, there were 44,861 positive or refused breath tests across all 43 territorial police forces. Based on the 40 forces who supplied comparable data for both 2022 and 2023, there was a 1 per cent decrease in the number of positive or refused breath tests in 2023 (from 41,687 to 41,230).
The number of positive or refused breath tests in 2023 represents 16 per cent of the total number of breath tests, down slightly from 17 per cent in the 3 years from 2020 to 2022. The proportion of breath tests that were positive or refused gradually fell from 19 per cent in 2003 to 10 per cent in 2013. Between 2014 and 2020 there was a gradual increase in the proportion of breath tests that were positive or refused, before levelling out at 16 per cent to 17 per cent in the last 5 years.
Source: Police powers and procedures: Roads policing, to December 2023
Q48) Is drug driving against the law?
A48) Yes. There are two laws that relate to drug driving. It is illegal to drive if either:
- you are unfit to do so because you’re on legal or illegal drugs
- you have certain levels of illegal drugs in your blood (even if they haven’t affected your driving)
The drug driving law was strengthened in 2015 to make it easier for the police to catch and convict drug drivers. The new offence of driving with a specific controlled drug in the body above that drug’s accepted limit was introduced as under the previous legislation it was often difficult to prove a particular drug impaired a driver’s actual driving ability.
There are now limits in place for legally driving while taking eight prescription drugs and eight illicit drugs. (Amphetamines are treated differently). The limits can be viewed here.
If you are taking prescription medicines, you can legally drive while taking these medicines in accordance with instructions from a healthcare professional or whilst sticking to recommended dosages and they do not impair your driving in any way. If you are using above the standard prescribed dosage for these medicines and driving, you could be breaking the law. If you are unsure the best thing you can do is contact your local GP.
Further information on drug driving can be viewed here.
Q49) Are there plans to require convicted drug-drivers to complete a rehabilitation course before resuming driving?
A49) Yes, drug-drivers could be required to undertake rehabilitation courses before being allowed back behind the wheel.
There has been a recent large increase in drug-related driving offences, with over 12,000 people convicted in 2019 and 44 per cent of offences committed by reoffenders. In 2020, 713 people were seriously injured in drug-driving collisions, up from 499 in 2016, and some police forces are now arresting more drug drivers than drink-drivers.
Currently, those convicted of drug-driving are handed a driving ban, prison sentence or fine by the courts, but are not required to complete rehabilitation courses before resuming driving – unlike drink-drivers. Therefore, in a call for evidence , the government is asking whether drug-drivers should likewise have to undergo rehabilitation, helping better protect the public.
Q50) Is it an offence to hold a hand-held mobile phone while driving or riding?
A50) Yes. It is illegal to hold a phone or sat nav while driving or riding a motorcycle.
The use of hands-free mobile phone access, such as a bluetooth headset, voice command, a dashboard holder or mat, a windscreen mount or a built-in sat nav, is permitted while driving but you must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times. The police can stop you if they think you are not in control because you are distracted and you can be prosecuted. The device must also not block your view of the road and traffic ahead.
The law still applies to you if you are:-
- stopped at traffic lights
- queuing in traffic
- supervising a learner driver
You can use a hand-held phone if either of these circumstances apply:-
- you are safely parked
- you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop
Further information can be viewed here.
Q51) Has the law regarding hand-held mobile phone use behind the wheel recently been tightened up?
A51) Yes. From 25 March 2022 it is now illegal for motorists to use a handheld mobile phone under virtually any circumstance while driving.
This new legislation closes a legal loophole which had previously allowed drivers to escape prosecution for hand-held mobile phone use while behind the wheel. Whilst previous legislation prevented drivers from using a hand-held mobile phone to call (except in an emergency) or text, people caught filming or taking photos while driving had escaped punishment as lawyers had successfully argued this activity does not fit into the ‘interactive communication’ outlawed by the previous legislation.
The new legislation means any driver caught texting, taking photos, browsing the internet, playing games or scrolling through a playlist while behind the wheel can be prosecuted for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. Anyone caught using their hand-held device while driving will face a fine up to £1,000 and 6 points on their licence.
There will be an exemption to the new law for drivers making a contactless payment using their mobile phone while stationary to ensure the law keeps pace with technology. This exemption will cover, for example, places like a drive-through restaurant or a road toll, and will only apply when payment is being made with a card reader. It will not allow motorists to make general online payments while driving.
Drivers will still be able to continue using a device ‘hands-free’ while driving, such as a sat-nav, if it is secured in a cradle. They must, however, always take responsibility for their driving and can be charged with an offence if the police find them not to be in proper control of their vehicle
Full details may be viewed here.
Q52) What percentage of drivers admit to driving or being stationary in traffic and using their mobile phone in their hand?
A52) The levels of drivers who have reported that they have driven or been stationary in traffic and using their mobile phone in their hand are drawn from questions asked in the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales.
In the year ending March 2024, of the respondents that had driven in the last 12 months, 4 per cent reported using their phone in their hand whilst driving or stationary in traffic. This is down from 6.2 per cent in year ending March 2020.
The majority of respondents either used their phone via Bluetooth, Voice Command or dashboard holder (48 per cent) or did not use their phone at all (48 per cent).
Source: Crime Survey for England and Wales: self-reported driver behaviour, year ending March 2024
Q53) What percentage of drivers in England have been observed using a hand-held mobile phone?
A53) On weekdays in England in autumn 2023:-
- 3 per cent of all vehicle drivers were observed using a mobile phone whilst driving (a similar proportion to that for Scotland based on data collected in early 2024)
- 6 per cent of van drivers were observed using a mobile phone whilst driving, compared to 0.2 per cent of car drivers
- males, and drivers estimated as aged 17 to 29, were more likely to be observed using a mobile phone while driving than females and drivers estimated as being aged 60 or over respectively
- based on data for a small selection of sites, a higher proportion of drivers (0.8 per cent) were observed using a mobile phone during the evening (6pm to midnight)
These estimates are lower than those shown by previous surveys, though the groups with relatively higher phone use are broadly similar. This could reflect changes in the survey method used for the 2023 survey.
Source: Mobile phone use by drivers: England 2023
Q54) What are the penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving or riding?
A54) New, stronger penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving were introduced in March 2017.
You can now get a fixed penalty notice carrying a penalty of a £200 fine and 6 penalty points on your licence for using a hand-held phone when driving. New drivers who have passed their test in the last 2 years will automatically lose their licence
You could also be taken to court where you could face disqualification and a fine of up to £1,000 (£2,500 if you’re driving a lorry or a bus).
You can get 3 penalty points if you do not have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle.
See here for further details.
Q55) How many Fixed Penalty Notices are issued for the offence of using a mobile phone while driving or riding in England and Wales?
A55) 2023 saw a continued large increase in the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued for using a handheld mobile phone while driving.
In England and Wales (excluding the Metropolitan Police Service) the number of FPNs issued went up by 33 per cent from 27,776 in 2022 to 36,842 in 2023. This is likely due to a change to mobile phone legislation in March 2022, which incorporated wider “use” of a hand-held device whilst driving, giving officers more opportunities to report offenders
In 2022, there was a large increase in the number of ‘use of a handheld mobile phone while driving’ offences from March through to autumn. The winter months of 2022 then saw a decline before another steep rise during the first few months of 2023, peaking at 4,032 in March 2023 (over twice the number recorded in March 2022, 1,852, when the law was amended). This peak was followed by small variations and since May 2023 there has been a steady decline in the number of FPNs issued for this offence each month.
In London, the offences of ‘use of a handheld mobile phone while driving’ showed a decrease in the latest year (down 13 per cent compared to 2022) although the volume recorded in 2023 (8,796) was still higher compared with pre-pandemic levels (4,853 in 2019).
Source: Police powers and procedures: Roads policing, to December 2023
Q56) What are the current levels of Vehicle Excise Duty evasion?
A56) In 2023, there was an estimated:-
- 1.3 per cent of vehicles in UK traffic that were unlicensed
- 498,000 unlicensed vehicles in UK active stock, or 1.2 per cent of all vehicles
NOTE: Evasion ‘in traffic’ is the rate of unlicensed vehicles in traffic. In other words, if you stood beside an average road, the percentage of passing vehicles which you would expect to be unlicensed. Evasion ‘in active stock’ is the number of distinct vehicles which are unlicensed as a proportion of all the distinct vehicles that may use UK roads at any time. In other words, if you considered all the registered vehicles in the UK, this is the percentage of those which are unlicensed.
The rate of VED evasion seen ‘in traffic’ is higher, at 1.3 per cent, than the 1.2 per cent rate seen in active stock. This suggests that vehicles evading VED in the UK are not being kept off the roads e.g. on driveways, but are actively being driven on the roads – although care should be taken when comparing rates as they may not be statistically significant.
Full details regarding VED evasion including by tax class, region and country and age of vehicle can be viewed in the publication below.
Source: Vehicle excise duty evasion statistics: 2023
Q57) How can I report an untaxed vehicle?
A57) Firstly, check if the vehicle is taxed before you report it.
Then make a note of the vehicle registration number, make, model and colour of the vehicle and the street name, town and postcode where the vehicle is parked. You will not be able to report the vehicle without these details.
You can then report the vehicle online. Your report is anonymous and will be investigated.
Full details can be viewed here.
Q58) Is seat belt use compulsory?
A58) Yes. You must wear a seat belt if one is fitted in the seat you’re using – there are only a few exceptions.
You are also only allowed 1 person in each seat fitted with a seat belt.
You can be fined up to £500 if you do not wear a seat belt when you are supposed to.
Wearing a seatbelt saves hundreds of lives every year. You should wear a seat belt in both the front and rear seats. Wearing a seatbelt in the back is just as important as wearing one in the front of the vehicle.
The Department for Transport’s leaflet on “Seat Belt and Child Restraints” can be viewed here.
Q59) What percentage of drivers in England have been observed wearing seat belts?
A59) On weekdays in England in autumn 2023:-
- 97.6 per cent per cent of all vehicle drivers were observed using a seatbelt (compared with 96.4 per cent for Scotland based on data collected in early 2024)
- 95.2 per cent of all vehicle front seat passengers were observed using a seatbelt (compared with 95.7 per cent for Scotland)
Seatbelt wearing rates varied notably by vehicle type. The highest rate of seatbelt use amongst drivers in England in 2023 was observed for cars, and the lowest proportion was observed for taxis and private hire vehicles. (There is a broadly similar pattern for Scotland). This is similar to previous surveys. The lower wearing rate for taxis and private hire vehicles is likely to reflect the exemptions from wearing a seatbelt for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers, and is also based on a very small number of vehicles observed.
Source: Seatbelt wearing rates: England 2023
Q60) What are the rules governing the use of a child’s car seat?
A60) You must make sure that any children in the vehicle you are driving are:
- in the correct car seat for their height or weight until they reach 135 cm tall or their 12th birthday, whichever is first
- wearing a seat belt if they’re over 12 or more than 135cm tall.
The Child Car Seats website has information on how to choose a seat and travel safely with children in cars.
You can be fined up to £500 if a child under 14 is not in the correct car seat or wearing a seat belt while you are driving.
The Department for Transport’s leaflet on “Seat Belt and Child Restraints” can be viewed here.