More than 10,000 motorists caught driving unroadworthy vehicles

More than 10,000 drivers received penalty points on their licences for driving unroadworthy vehicles last year, 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 10,054 penalty point endorsements were given to motorists in Great Britain in 2025 for driving vehicles with defective brakes, tyres, steering or other problems.

This represents a decrease of 3,055 endorsements compared to the 2024 number which was 13,109, but the RAC says it’s hard to know if this is down to drivers better maintaining their vehicles or fewer traffic officers on the roads.

Driving a vehicle with defective tyres was the biggest reason drivers received points last year, with 6,670 people being stopped and having their licences endorsed. This can also attract a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre.

An additional 3,384 endorsements were handed to drivers for other problems relating to the roadworthiness of their vehicles such as defective steering or brakes.

More drivers of unroadworthy vehicles were caught in Scotland than anywhere else in Great Britain last year – 1,244 in total – followed by London with 1,182 drivers. Outside of the capital, the regions with the most drivers handed points for unroadworthy vehicles were Yorkshire and Humber (995), West Midlands (969) and the South East of England (950).

The offence attracts three penalty points which stay on drivers’ licences for four years.

But the RAC warns there are likely to be many more unroadworthy vehicles on the UK’s roads, as the figures only represent those who have been caught in the first place. With nearly 10m MOTs failing each year, the number of vehicles being driven that don’t meet standards is likely to be far higher.

Jack Halstead, RAC servicing and repair mechanic of the year, 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.”