It is estimated that more than 70% of UK adults hold a valid driving licence: that's about 35 million people. Our roads are crowded and congested which contributes to driving being a tiring and frustrating activity for many people.
Many drivers are under pressure from schedules and timetables: delivery drivers, business people attending meetings and parents transporting children to and from school are all eager to get where they need to be on time. Different priorities sometimes clash and people sometimes get in each other's way, resulting in disputes and even road rage.
The roads can be a hectic and confusing environment so it's not surprising that rules get broken. Whether it's through haste, misjudgement, forgetfulness, frustration or anger. We've examined data from DVLA, the police and insurance companies to get an overview of which offences are most common on UK roads, and the penalties they can carry.
Car crime and number plates
Some of the offences presented below are committed by drivers using faked, cloned or stolen number plates. If witnesses or cameras record a false registration at the scene of an offence, the legitimate owner of the registration that is misused can suffer the embarrassment and inconvenience of unwelcome attention from the police. Sorting out the confusion can take time and effort.
Reduce your chances of a police visit by ensuring that your number plates are firmly attached with security screws or bolts and/or strong adhesive pads. Additionally, if your number plates are stolen, or you suspect they may have been cloned, inform the police immediately.
See our guide to number plate security for more information.
Categories of motoring offences
The Police.uk website shows motoring offences grouped into two main categories: dangerous driving and careless or inconsiderate driving.
Dangerous driving
These are offences that could endanger you or someone else. This category includes:
- speeding, racing, or driving aggressively
- ignoring traffic lights, road signs or warnings from passengers
- overtaking dangerously
- driving under the influence of drink or drugs, including prescription drugs
- driving when unfit, including having an injury, being unable to see clearly, not taking prescribed drugs, or being sleepy
- knowing the vehicle has a dangerous fault or an unsafe load
- using a hand-held phone or other equipment
- reading, or looking at a map
- talking to and looking at a passenger
- lighting a cigarette, selecting music, tuning the radio
Careless or inconsiderate driving
These are offences that show disregard for other drivers and which are likely to inconvenience or concern other road users. The category includes:
- 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
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence of alcohol or any kind of drug(s) is a separate offence, but it may also be considered dangerous or careless driving.
Using a mobile device
Using a mobile phone or handheld device is a separate offence but also can be considered dangerous or careless driving.
Administrative offences
Some offences are not directly related to drivers' behaviour or quality of driving but they can still have serious implications for things such as safety. These include:
- driving without a driving licence covering a vehicle of the class being driven
- driving without insurance
- driving without an MOT
- driving while disqualified
The most common offences on UK roads
Exact rankings vary depending on whose data one uses. The DVLA and DfT data doesn't exactly match that from Insurance companies in the fine detail, but the big picture is clear enough, even if a tiny bit fuzzy around the edges.
More or less in descending order of frequency, the most common UK motoring offences are:
Speeding
This is one many, if not most, drivers actually admit they have done on occasion. Sometimes it's inadvertent (the driver may miss a speed limit sign, or signs may be hidden by foliage from hedges, but very often, it is more simply explained by our tendency to push luck as far as we think we can and still get away with it.
Possible penalties: £100 fine; three points on one's licence.
Using a mobile device while driving
People are less willing to admit to this one and, when we consider the tragic accidents that have resulted, that's understandable. It's not clever.
Possible penalties: £200 fine; six licence points.
Careless driving
While usually committed meaning no harm, carelessness can cause fatal accidents.
Possible penalties: unlimited fine; disqualification from driving and up to nine penalty points on licence. In cases where death results, a life prison sentence is possible.
Dangerous driving
Actively reckless or aggressive behaviour behind the wheel is not treated lightly by the courts.
Possible penalties: unlimited fine; obligatory disqualification and up to 11 points on licence; up to two years in prison. In cases where death results, a life sentence is possible.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Possible penalties: unlimited fine; disqualification from driving and up to 11 penalty points on licence; up to six months in prison. In cases where death results, a life sentence is possible.
The Highway Code website offers a comprehensive list of offences and their penalties.
What about number plates offences?
The official statistics don't include specific mention of offences involving mis-spaced, altered or concealed number plates but, take our word for it (and that of many news outlets), people do get stopped and fined. Offenders also risk having their MOT invalidated and being compelled to take another test. There is also the possibility of permanently losing one's registration number.
