Unsafe cars explode in numbers: dangerous UK vehicles up 50% in a year

UK roads may be secretly inundated with unsafe cars given that the number of people charged with driving unroadworthy vehicles has exploded by over 50 per cent in the last year, and experts are warning that the data is “just the tip of the iceberg”. 

A Freedom of Information request conducted by the RAC found that in 2024, 13,109 penalty point endorsements were issued to motorists for driving vehicles that were deemed unsafe for the road. This represents a marked increase from 2023, in which just 8,614 such endorsements were incurred.

However, the RAC says these statistics don’t even scratch the surface of the number of unroadworthy vehicles potentially out there. The motoring association is keen to point out that with over 10 million vehicles failing their MOT tests annually, the number of unsafe vehicles driving around is likely to be substantially higher than the figure the police are able to identify and catch themselves.

Mobile servicing and repairs team leader at the RAC, Nick Mullender, said: “The steep increase in drivers receiving points on their licences for unroadworthy vehicles is a cause for alarm because 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.”

More unsafe cars in London

As you might expect, Greater London saw the highest number of penalty point endorsements for unroadworthy vehicles in 2024, with 1,765 drivers pulled over. The East Midlands is the region that saw the biggest leap in the number of unroadworthy vehicles being stopped, with 700 endorsements representing an 80 per cent rise. 

The majority of Wales, bar the South East, saw the number of endorsements stay the same or even decrease. Yet despite this, figures across the UK rose by 52 per cent on average year-on-year in 2024.

Marc Clothier, the chief superintendent at the National Roads Policing Operation for Intelligence and Investigations, called the figures “shocking”, saying: “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,” Clothier continued, “and we would encourage everyone to routinely check their vehicle before getting behind the wheel.” 

What makes a car unsafe?

What makes a car unroadworthy can be anything from insufficient tyre tread depth – 8,945 people had their licences endorsed in 2024 for having defective tyres, making it the most common reason for a car to be deemed unroadworthy – to blown headlight bulbs and defective brakes. Being found with any of these issues could land drivers three penalty points on their licence, plus a fine of up to £2,500 if the vehicle has previously failed its MOT.

With this in mind, Mullender urged drivers to “keep on top of routine maintenance and get any issues checked by a well qualified mobile mechanic or reputable garage”. 

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