Do you live near Britain’s ‘most dangerous’ (or safest) drivers?
New data reveals the UK postcodes with the worst record for drivers with licence penalty points
If you live in or near Plymouth’s PL3 postcode, take extra care on the road. Your driving may be unimpeachable, but your neighbours have notched up more licence penalty points for driving offences than residents of any other postcode in Britain.
According to data released by the government, and analysed by accident compensation firm Claims.co.uk, a significant 13.09 per cent of PL3 drivers have points on their licence, which the company suggests makes drivers there “the most dangerous in Britain”. Alternatively, of course, the high number of licence points could reflect particularly stringent policing, or zealous speed camera operators, but however you look at it there do appear to be a lot of naughty drivers in the postcode - perhaps the residents of Honicknowle, West Park and Manadon in Plymouth will let us know in the comments!
Next on the motoring naughty step are drivers in the postcodes LS9 (Leeds) where 12.74 per cent of drivers have points, BD3 (Bradford) with 12.56 per cent, PA36 (Bridge of Orchy) with 12.5 per cent and LS14 (Leeds again), with 12.48 per cent.
The data for Bridge of Orchy in Scotland, which is fourth worst in the table, seems almost personal - the postcode is home to only 40 licensed drivers, we’re told, of which 5 have earned points for driving offences.
Meanwhile, the data suggests that Guildford is home to the most impressively law-abiding drivers, as only 0.71 per cent of folk living there have blemishes on their licences.
“Reckless driving endangers lives,” says a spokesperson for Claims.co.uk. “In fact, there were 133,443 casualties due to road collisions in the year ending June 2023, according to GOV.UK.
“Plymouth’s PL3 is the number one most hazardous driving capital, although it is interesting to see postcodes from across the nation make the top 10. This indicates that drivers should be vigilant in both larger cities and smaller towns.”
Top 10 Postcodes with the worst driving records
| 1 | PL3 | Plymouth, England | 13.09% |
| 2 | LS9 | Leeds, England | 12.74% |
| 3 | BD3 | Bradford, England | 12.56% |
| 4 | PA36 | Bridge of Orchy, Scotland | 12.50% |
| 5 | LS14 | Leeds, England | 12.48% |
| 6 | PL4 | Plymouth, England | 12.29% |
| 7 | WF13 | Wakefield, England | 12.24% |
| 8 | LS12 | Leeds, England | 12.11% |
| 9 | BD8 | Bradford, England | 12.10% |
| 10 | HX1 | Halifax, England | 11.97% |
Top 10 postcodes with the cleanest licences
| 1 | GU13 | Guildford, England | 0.71% |
| 2 | PA44 | Isle of Islay, Scotland | 0.90% |
| 3 | WD2 | Watford, England | 0.93% |
| 4 | AB1 | Aberdeen, Scotland | 0.96% |
| 5 | NP9 | Newport, Wales | 1.23% |
| 6 | WD1 | London, England | 1.37% |
| 7 | SO1 | Southampton, England | 1.38% |
| 8 | SO3 | Southampton, England | 1.45% |
| 9 | PA76 | Isle Of Iona, Scotland | 1.49% |
| 9 | L64 | Liverpool, England | 1.49% |
| 10 | IV56 | Isle Of Sky, Scotland | 1.50% |
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