We all know someone who has racked up a few points on their driving licence, whether it’s a family member of that boy racer mate whose car you always avoid getting in at all costs.
However, it would seem many of our preconceptions about the so-called ‘worst’ drivers are completely misguided, according to a study carried out by confused.com.
Researching Britain’s motorists using Freedom of Information requests to the DVLA, the finance and insurance company found that there are over 2.66 million drivers with points on their licences in the UK.
Even more interestingly, the data seemed to show that despite the relatively common perception that either younger or older people are perhaps not the safest of drivers, neither of these groups ranked highest on the list of those with driving offences. It was, in fact, middle-aged drivers.
Middle-aged drivers commit the most offences
That’s right, despite those who have only recently passed their test or more senior drivers often being perceived as the biggest liabilities on the road, the most common age bracket was 30 to 34, with approximately 6,522 per 100,000 drivers (6.52%) having been given points on their licence.
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Credit: Wikimedia Commons
35-39 came in second with 6,397 and 40-44 came in third with 6,345.
Conversely – and while they obviously haven’t been on the road as long as others – it was found that those under 19 had the least offences; by some distance as well, with just 352 points per 100,000 drivers.
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While drivers with provisional licences may be included in this figure, it’s still worth noting. Moreover, the oldest age group (95 and over) with 2,186 drivers aged 95 and over per 100,000 (2.19%) having been penalised.
Once again, there are obviously far fewer drivers within this age group and making less journeys but as you can see in the full report, motorists with the most penalty points tend to bunch up between the ages of 30 and 59.
In terms of individual ages, those who are aged 32 are apparently the most likely to have points on their licence. The data reveals that 6,615 per 100,000 32-year-old drivers currently have points on their UK driver’s licence.
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Which sex picks up more points?
Their research also indicated which sex tends to be penalised most on the road, with men being over twice as likely to have points on their driving licence than women.
There was actually a fairly big difference in the number of penalty points accrued: only 3,187 out of every 100,000 female drivers (3.19%) have penalty points on their licence, whereas the rate for men was around 7,158 per 100,000 (7.16%).
So, while there are roughly similar numbers of men and women on the roads (26.4 million compared to 24 million), 1.9 million men have points compared to around 766,000 women.
Hey, don’t look at us — the numbers don’t lie and it’s you lot doing the driving.
The most common kind of penalty offence committed in the UK was breaking the speed limit on a public road with 2,158,179 offences, followed by speeding on motorways.
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As for the areas where drivers are most likely to pick up points, you’ll be glad to hear that Greater Manchester wasn’t even in the top 25 most serial offenders. Cheshire was the closest in 19th place, with around 8.22% of drivers in the region currently holding possessing points on their licence.
Do any of these revelations come as a surprise to you or are you simply so good impeccable driver that you assume everyone is just as suspect as each other?
Featured Image — Samuele Errico Piccarini (via Unsplash)
Travel & Tourism
The surprisingly luxurious caravan park that’s the perfect place for a Peak District getaway
Daisy Jackson
We probably all have fond memories of caravan holidays as a child, frolicking around the British countryside before tucking up on a squeaky single bed – and as fond as those memories may be, they don’t exactly scream *luxury*.
But the times are a-changing, and so are UK holiday parks, with many caravans and static homes now kitted out just as beautifully as any premium lodge or Airbnb.
You’ll find some such caravans at Newhaven Holiday Park, which sits right at the heart of the Peak District and is perfectly placed for exploring some of the area’s best attractions.
The platinum lodges here feature sizeable living spaces – a lounge, fully-equipped kitchen, and dining room (again, unlike your childhood holidays where you’d just fold away the table) – alongside three bedrooms, two of which have en suite bathrooms.
The design details are premium, like matte black bathroom fittings, pale wood details, and plush carpets.
The huge living space and kitchenNewhaven Holiday ParkAn en suite bedroom in the platinum lodge
But really, the best thing about staying at Newhaven Holiday Park is that it lands you right on the doorstep of some of the Peak District’s best bits.
Within seconds, you’ll find yourself surrounded by rolling hills dotted with sheep and pheasants, and within a short drive you’ll be strolling around the beautiful grounds of Chatsworth Estate, currently ablaze with autumn colours.
If you’re feeling peckish after your walk, head a short distance along into the charming village of Baslow, and to Charlotte’s of Baslow, a lovely cafe serving treats like soup in a bread bowl, apple crumble oats, and açai bowls.
Pastries at Charlotte’s of Baslow
You’re also not far from the village of Bakewell, home of the Bakewell Pudding (visit the higgledy-piggledy The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop for a potted history of the pudding and its sibling, the Bakewell tart).
The village is also packed with local independent bakeries, delis, cafes, shops, and more.
On your way back to Newhaven Holiday Park, swing by Tagg Lane Dairy, an ice cream farm making its own award-winning gelato, with flavours like apple pie, and pineapple chilli cheesecake.
Tagg Lane DairyBakewell villageThe Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop
If you’re looking for a great base in the Peak District, without blowing the budget, definitely don’t overlook a caravan stay.
You can see more and book your stay at Newhaven Holiday Park HERE.
No trams to run on THREE major Greater Manchester lines for two weeks this month
Emily Sergeant
Widespread disruption is expected, as no trams will be running on three major Greater Manchester lines for two full weeks.
As the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network gets under way later this month, it has been announced that essential improvement work is set to be be carried out on three major Metrolink lines across the region in a bid to make the network ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come.
From Monday 19 October to Sunday 1 November, tram improvement works will take place at Deansgate-Castlefield, and Trafford Bar.
Additional works will also take place in the city centre during this time, allowing Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to keep closures of the tram network to a minimum.
During the dates above, no trams will run on the Altrincham, Trafford Centre, and Eccles lines.
No trams will be running on three major Greater Manchester line for two weeks this month / Credit: TfGM
A number of shuttle bus services will the running over the course of the two-week closure – with services arriving every 10 or 15 minutes, depending which line it’s on, and you can find a full list of these here.
Services operating on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood, and from Firswood, passengers will then need to board a replacement bus service to continue their journey into the city centre.
Services operating on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square, it has also been announced.
Services will resume on these lines from start of service on Monday 2 November.
However there will be some minor route changes through the city centre in place from Monday 2 to Wednesday 4 November, so it’s important to check your journey before you travel.
Danny Jones -
13th November 2022 
