Plymouth is home to some of the Devon’s worst drivers

Everyone always thinks they’re a good driver – even the ones who are clearly awful and should be kept away from anything other than a bumper car at a fairground. However, the legal process is there to highlight which drivers are so bad that they require punishment, be it a fine, points or even a conviction. Government data recently released reveals where in the country – by postcode – are the drivers who have fallen foul of the Highway Code – and folks may be surprised to learn that two places in Plymouth are home to the worst drivers not just in Plymouth, but in the whole of Devon.

The figures show that the Barbican[1] and Lipson areas of Plymouth are home to residents who are more likely to have six points on their licence than anywhere else in the region.

There are 572 licence holders living in the PL4 postcode district who have six or more points on their licence, according to the government data released at the start of December. That works out as one in every 26 drivers in the area.

It’s the largest proportion of any postcode district in Devon and the joint 24th highest ratio of any postcode district in the whole of Great Britain. The PL1 postcode district – which covers Plymouth, Devonport[4], The Hoe and other areas – has the next highest ratio in our area. A total of 435 drivers there have at least six points on their licence.

That works out as one in every 28 drivers there. It’s the joint 31st highest ratio in the country. In PL3 – Efford, Hartley, Laira and other areas – the ratio is also one in every 28 drivers.

In PL5 – Crownhill[5], Ernesettle, Honicknowle and other areas – it’s one in every 32, while in PL2 – Beacon Park, Ford, Keyham[6] and other areas – it’s one in every 36. You can see how many drivers in your area have more than six points on their licence using our interactive map: But Plymothians – especially those in the Barbican and Lipson area – should not feel too shamefaced.

After all, Bradford, in West Yorkshire is home to the worst drivers in the country, with residents there more likely to have six points on their licence than anywhere else in the country. There are almost 350,000 licence holders living in the BD postcode area and a total of 11,278 of those have six or more points on their licence, according to the government data. That works out as one in every 31 drivers in the region.

It’s the largest proportion of any postcode area in Great Britain. Two neighbouring postcode areas have the next worst ratios – Leeds (LS) with one in every 34 drivers, and Halifax (HX) with one in every 36 drivers. Bradford also has some of the postcode districts with the highest proportion of drivers with six or more points on their licence.

The BD8 district – which covers the Girlington, Manningham, and Lower Grange areas of the city – has 698 drivers with six or more points on their licence. That works out as one in every 20 drivers in the area. That’s the joint highest ratio of any postcode district in the country with at least 30 drivers registered there.

One posh part of London can actually claim a worse ratio than Bradford, but so few people live there that a very small number of drivers skews the figure. One in every 11 drivers who live in the W1C postcode district, which covers Oxford Street, have at least six points on their licence. There are only 22 drivers registered in that area though, so it only works out as two people.

But, Oldham, in Greater Manchester wins the booby prize and can claim to be home to Britain’s worst driver. One licence older in the OL4 area has a staggering 126 points on their licence according to the data. One driver in the WR4 area of Worcester has 102 points, the next highest of any single driver.

In CT14 – Deal in Kent – there’s a driver with 72 points on their licence while in PL4 – the Lipson area of Plymouth – there’s a driver with 63 points. Yes…

63 points. No, PlymouthLive does not know who it is, but hopefully it’s not someone currently driving a car.

Postcode district: One in X drivers with 6+ points

PL4: 26PL1: 28PL3: 28PL5: 32PL2: 36PL6: 38PL9: 40PL8: 41PL7: 43EX33: 46EX36: 53PL16: 53PL21: 54TQ1: 54EX32: 55EX34: 56PL19: 56EX31: 57PL20: 57TQ2: 58EX16: 60TQ13: 60EX5: 61EX15: 61EX2: 62TQ10: 62EX18: 63EX39: 63EX1: 64TQ9: 64TQ5: 64TQ6: 65TA21: 66EX4: 66TQ11: 66TQ12: 67TQ3: 67EX3: 69EX20: 70TQ8: 71EX17: 73TQ7: 73EX8: 75EX38: 75EX37: 77EX6: 78EX13: 81DT7: 82TQ14: 82EX14: 85EX7: 89TQ4: 90EX11: 91EX21: 98EX35: 103EX19: 104EX22: 109EX9: 113EX12: 123EX24: 132EX10: 133

Mind how you go now…

References

1. ^ Barbican (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
2. ^ Plymouth named one of the happiest places to live in the South West (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
3. ^ Woman carried out indecent act in front of kids in Plymouth city centre (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
4. ^ Devonport (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
5. ^ Crownhill (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
6. ^ Keyham (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)