They call it the law of unintended consequences and you can see it with recent laws and regulations on Non-Doms, NI thresholds, Capital Gains or Renters Reform legislation. People who like to build businesses are scaling back, leaving the UK, or looking for other opportunities rather than employing people. In real terms, what tends to happen is that the tax take goes down, when adjusted for inflation.
Over the last few years since the pandemic the UK has seen a shift towards favouring cyclists and illegal delivery riders freedom to travel, rather than fixing pot-holes, improving junctions, or encouraging free flowing commuter routes. Extra costs on parking, targeted 20mph speed limit campaigns, tolls like ULEZ/LEZ or city centre access bans, all add costs for drivers. Especially those working people on the margins who don’t qualify for a life on benefits, plus a free Motability car.
As insurance in some urban areas can now cost over £1000 a year – even with a clean licence, no claims – drivers are looking to cut costs on maintenance and servicing. Modern cars of the last 20 years are relatively durable, so a policy of `It ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ underpins many household budgets. That’s great, until a huge failure occurs in an emergency, like suspension collapse, ineffective brakes, or wonky steering.
For insurers it’s worth tracking the data on vehicle age, MoT advisories, location, plus links to things like CCJs, debt advice, driver age, gender, named drivers etc. at the point of quote, so that some type of risk pricing can be made.
Meanwhile here’s the word from the RAC;
The number of people receiving penalty points on their licences for driving unroadworthy vehicles has jumped by 52% over the course of just 12 months, new data analysed by the RAC’s mobile servicing and repairs division 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 of 4,495 endorsements compared to the 2023 number which was 8,614. 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.
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.
Analysis of the data shows that all but two regions of the UK saw a rise in drivers receiving endorsements for unroadworthy vehicles last year compared to the year before. The largest increases were recorded in the East Midlands (87% increase, from 374 drivers in 2023 to 700 last year) and central Scotland (50% increase, from 46 drivers in 2023 to 69 last year). The only locations of the UK where drivers received fewer points were mid Wales (a fall from 42 to 38 drivers) and south west Wales (a fall from 109 to 100 drivers).
RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader Nick Mullender 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 the behind the wheel of vehicles that are defective, a minority of drivers are needlessly putting the law-abiding majority at serious risk.
“We should be thankful the police were able to detect those drivers included in our analysis. But unfortunately, for every person caught there will doubtless be more who are knowingly in charge of unroadworthy vehicles that could be involved in completely avoidable collisions in the future. In many cases, it’s likely that a driver has been pulled over for an entirely different reason, only for a police officer to then discover the vehicle they’re responsible for isn’t road legal.
“Every driver has a legal responsibility to ensure the vehicle they’re driving is roadworthy, even between regular services and MOTs. We strongly urge drivers to keep on top of routine maintenance and get any issues checked by a well-qualified mobile mechanic or reputable garage. This is where our nationwide network of RAC Mobile Mechanics comes in – they can complete vehicle diagnostic checks to identify the source of problems, as well as carrying out full and interims services and a wide range of repairs including brake replacements, all from a customer’s home or work address. So, there’s never been an easier way to keep a car safe on the road.”
Overall, of all locations in the UK for which there is data, the RAC’s analysis found more drivers in Greater London received penalty points for using unroadworthy vehicles than in any other part of the country – 1,765 last year, up from 1,464 in 2023 (21% increase). Yorkshire and the Humber was second, with 1,373 drivers receiving endorsements in 2024, up from 1,042 a year earlier (32% rise).
Chief Superintendent at the National Roads Policing Operation for Intelligence and Investigations, Marc Clothier, 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.”
Further information on the RAC’s Mobile Mechanics service can be found online at www.rac.co.uk/car-care/mobile-mechanic.
CLYDE AND CO COMMENT
Damian Rourke, Partner at Clyde & Co, added this;
“An unroadworthy vehicle isn’t just a danger to the driver – it’s a risk to everyone else on the road. The sharp rise in offences is worrying because it means more law-abiding motorists are being exposed to accidents they could do nothing to prevent. From an insurance perspective, these incidents often lead to more severe damage, higher repair bills and, in the worst cases, serious injury claims. It underlines the need for better enforcement and public awareness, so those who take care of their vehicles aren’t left paying the price for those who don’t.”
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