The number of people receiving penalty points on their licences for driving unroadworthy vehicles jumped by 52% in 2024, new data analysed by the RAC has found.
Following a Freedom of Information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the RAC found that a total of 13,109 penalty point endorsements were given to drivers in 2024 for driving vehicles with defective brakes, tyres, steering or other problems.
This is a substantial increase from the 8,614 that were issued during 2023. The offence attracts three penalty points which stay on drivers’ licences for four years.
The RAC believes the figures are unfortunately just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the total number of unroadworthy vehicles on the UK’s roads at any one time – as they only represent those who have been caught in the first place.
With vehicles failing nearly 10m MOT tests a year, the actual number of those that aren’t mechanically sound but are still being driven is likely to be far higher, the RAC adds.
Driving a vehicle with defective tyres was the biggest reason drivers received points last year, with 8,945 people being stopped and having their licences endorsed – up 44% on the 6,196 drivers in 2023.
But it was a rise in the number of people caught driving vehicles with defective brakes that saw the largest year-on-year increase. A total of 1,190 drivers received penalty points for this in 2024, up from 181 a year earlier – a more than six-fold increase.
An additional 2,974 endorsements were handed to drivers for other problems related to the roadworthiness of their vehicles such as defective steering, increasing by a third (33%) from 2,237 in 2023.
Nick Mullender, RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader, said: “The steep increase in drivers receiving points on their licences for unroadworthy vehicles is a cause for alarm as it could indicate more drivers are running the gauntlet and driving unsafe vehicles – although it’s also possible more drivers are being caught by the police.
“Whether it’s brakes, tyres, steering or something else, every mechanical component in a vehicle plays a critical role in ensuring it can be driven safely and confidently. By getting behind the wheel of vehicles that are defective, a minority of drivers are needlessly putting the law-abiding majority at serious risk.
Chief superintendent Marc Clothier, the National Roads Policing Operation for Intelligence and Investigations, said: “These figures are shocking and if you are driving an unroadworthy vehicle with defects such as tyres or brakes, you are not only putting yourself at risk but you are putting the lives of other road users at risk too.
“Ensuring your vehicle is roadworthy and safe to drive is your responsibility and we would encourage everyone to routinely check their vehicle before getting behind the wheel.”
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