Motoring offences - statistics

[agtlaw]

In the year ending December 2023, excluding the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and 474,323 cancelled cases:

there were 2,698,373, motoring offences recorded which resulted in a fixed penalty notice (FPN) or another outcome, an increase of 11% compared with the previous year (2,437,451), and the highest recorded since comparable records began in 2011

over four-fifths (86%) of recorded motoring offences were for speed limit offences (2,324,542), up 10% on the previous year (2,114,946) and the highest recorded since 2011

half (51%) of driving offences resulted in driver retraining, while a [fixed penalty] was paid in a further 36% of cases and 13% of cases involved court action (excluding those subsequently cancelled), similar proportions to 2022

Excluding 375,352 cancelled cases, the MPS recorded 498,408 motoring offences resulting in an FPN or other outcome in 2023, a 1% decrease from the previous year (502,245).

Breath tests

In the year ending December 2023 there were 276,914 breath tests carried out by police, a 3% increase compared with the year ending December 2022 (when comparing data for the 40 forces who were able to provide comparable data in both years)

As in previous years, more breath tests were undertaken in December than any other month, coinciding with police drink and drug driving campaigns

16% of breath tests were positive or refused, down slightly from 17% in the year ending December 2022

[skyebear]

16% positive or refused breath tests is wild. I'd have thought it would be low single digit now given how anti-social it's viewed, the punishments and the prevalence of taxis.

[stu67]

skyebear said:

16% positive or refused breath tests is wild. I'd have thought it would be low single digit now given how anti-social it's viewed, the punishments and the prevalence of taxis.

That stat gives me a right fright, if you take into account drug driving then that must be over 20% of all stops? Like you I would have thought that the % would have been around 5% of stops

[ARHarh]

stu67 said:

skyebear said:

16% positive or refused breath tests is wild. I'd have thought it would be low single digit now given how anti-social it's viewed, the punishments and the prevalence of taxis.

That stat gives me a right fright, if you take into account drug driving then that must be over 20% of all stops? Like you I would have thought that the % would have been around 5% of stops

Maybe the bigger worry should be when did you last see a police car stop someone, or even see a police car out on the road not already attending an incident or on its way to one. How many are driving over the limit and never getting caught.

[Drumroll]

agtlaw said:

In the year ending December 2023, excluding the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and 474,323 cancelled cases:

there were 2,698,373, motoring offences recorded which resulted in a fixed penalty notice (FPN) or another outcome, an increase of 11% compared with the previous year (2,437,451), and the highest recorded since comparable records began in 2011

over four-fifths (86%) of recorded motoring offences were for speed limit offences (2,324,542), up 10% on the previous year (2,114,946) and the highest recorded since 2011

half (51%) of driving offences resulted in driver retraining, while a [fixed penalty] was paid in a further 36% of cases and 13% of cases involved court action (excluding those subsequently cancelled), similar proportions to 2022

Excluding 375,352 cancelled cases, the MPS recorded 498,408 motoring offences resulting in an FPN or other outcome in 2023, a 1% decrease from the previous year (502,245).

Breath tests

In the year ending December 2023 there were 276,914 breath tests carried out by police, a 3% increase compared with the year ending December 2022 (when comparing data for the 40 forces who were able to provide comparable data in both years)

As in previous years, more breath tests were undertaken in December than any other month, coinciding with police drink and drug driving campaigns

16% of breath tests were positive or refused, down slightly from 17% in the year ending December 2022

But was there a corresponding increase in the number/amount of time, speed cameras were used?

[Tony1963]

skyebear said:

16% positive or refused breath tests is wild. I'd have thought it would be low single digit now given how anti-social it's viewed, the punishments and the prevalence of taxis.

I think the testing is targeted better now.

[Pica-Pica]

The question is, how does that relate to miles travelled, or journeys mad in previous (and CoVID reduced and wary travel) years?
For breath tests, it would be interesting to see the actual figures 1 point below the test failure point and one point above, is probably minimal, but it’s binary according to records. I presume these were follow-up breath test, not roadside test.

[LosingGrip]

I'm surprised that there was that many breath tests carried out. I expected it to be a lot higher.

[QBee]

Tony1963 said:

skyebear said:

16% positive or refused breath tests is wild. I'd have thought it would be low single digit now given how anti-social it's viewed, the punishments and the prevalence of taxis.

I think the testing is targeted better now.

I suspect that a substantial proportion of those driving over the limit continue to place their own convenience ahead of the danger to others, the social unacceptability, or the law.