More than 10,000 drivers penalised for unroadworthy vehicles
More than 10,000 drivers were handed penalty points last year for driving vehicles with defective tyres, brakes, steering or other roadworthiness faults, according to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
Figures released by the DVLA following a request from the RAC’s mobile servicing and repairs division show 10,054 penalty point endorsements were issued to motorists in Great Britain in 2025 for driving unroadworthy vehicles – down from 13,109 in 2024, a fall of 3,055.
Defective tyres accounted for the majority of offences, with 6,670 drivers stopped and endorsed – an offence that can also carry a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre. A further 3,384 endorsements were issued for other roadworthiness faults, including defective brakes and steering. The offence carries three penalty points, which remain on a licence for four years.
Scotland recorded the highest number of endorsements of any region (1,244), ahead of London (1,182), Yorkshire and Humber (995), the West Midlands (969) and the South East (950).
The RAC cautioned that the figures likely represent only a fraction of unroadworthy vehicles on the road, noting that almost 10 million vehicles fail their MOT each year. With traffic policing capacity under sustained pressure across most forces, the extent to which reduced enforcement activity – rather than improved driver compliance – accounts for the year-on-year fall is difficult to establish from the data alone.
RAC Servicing and Repair Mechanic of the Year Jack Halstead said defective components such as bald tyres significantly increase stopping distances and blowout risk, and argued that fewer dedicated traffic units meant more unroadworthy vehicles were likely going undetected.