More than 10,000 drivers in Britain were caught behind the wheel of unroadworthy vehicles last year, prompting a stark warning from the RAC that “far too many vehicles are unfit for the roads”.
Figures obtained by the motoring organisation from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) reveal 10,054 motorists received penalty points in 2025 for issues including defective brakes, tyres, or steering.
While this marks a reduction of 3,055 from the previous year, the RAC expressed uncertainty, stating it is “hard to know” if the decrease reflects better vehicle maintenance or fewer traffic officers on the roads.
The part of Britain with the most drivers of unroadworthy vehicles caught in 2025 was Scotland, with 1,244.
It was followed by London (1,182), Yorkshire and the Humber (995) and the West Midlands (969).
Most cases of driving an unroadworthy vehicle result in three penalty points being issued, which stay on licences for four years.
RAC mechanic of the year Jack Halstead said: “Far too many vehicles are unfit for the roads, posing a danger not only to the driver, but to other road users as well.
“Having bald tyres drastically reduces grip, greatly increases stopping distances, and raises the risk of blowouts.
“But whether it’s tyres, brakes, steering or something else, every mechanical component in a vehicle plays a critical role.
“And this is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg; with fewer police traffic units, it’s likely more offenders are evading officers and putting themselves and others at risk.”
Earlier in June, an investigation found than 4,000 drivers were still allowed on the road despite having at least 12 speeding points.
The RAC, which conducted the research, called on the Government to force repeat and excessive speeders to have devices fitted to their vehicles to prevent future offending.
It obtained DVLA figures showing 4,154 people in Britain are legally permitted to drive even though they have crossed the threshold for losing their licence after being caught speeding.
Drivers are handed between three and six penalty points for speeding, depending on the seriousness of the incident.
Points are also issued for other offences, such as driving without due care and attention, drink-driving and using a hand-held mobile.
Under the totting up process, drivers are usually banned for six months if they receive 12 or more points within a three-year period, unless they convince a court this would result in exceptional hardship, which could relate to their ability to work or care for their family.
The DVLA figures show 117 licence-holders have amassed more than 20 points from speeding, including one with 45 points.
