Scottish and welsh regions top rankings of Britain's worst drivers

Feel Good Team
Monday, 07 January 2019 Share this blog:

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Getting your eyes tested regularly should be a key annual checkup for every person, however, many do not, and this can affect our ability to perform important tasks.

As the weather is declining in the winter months with snowstorms and dangerous ice, now is the time to ensure we are driving at our safest and not a danger to ourselves or other road users.

As well as increasing your risk of getting into an accident, you may also be disqualified from driving if your eyesight is an impairment for you and fellow road users. We were curious to understand what the impact of disqualified drivers was across the country, so we obtained the relevant data through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request with the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVLA).

Interestingly, the Orkney Islands in Scotland topped the rankings, with more than 1 in 10 of its qualified drivers being stripped of their licenses.

The highest proportion of the UK’s disqualified drivers can be found in Scotland and Wales according to this new data from the DVLA, the following heatmap breaks down the disqualification percentage across the country:

Upon analysis, we found that Wales actually made up half of the regions featured in the top 20, closely followed by Scotland with six. Four English regions also made an appearance with Herefordshire, Merseyside, Cleveland and West Yorkshire.

Worst Drivers by Region

The full top 20 list of disqualified drivers per region is as follows:

Orkney Islands (10.25%)
Inverclyde (5.35%)
Torfaen (4.79%)
Gwent (3.34%)
East Renfrewshire (3.20%)
West Dunbartonshire (2.79%)
Wrexham (2.70%)
Dundee (2.69%)
Herefordshire (2.33%)
Newport (2.20%)
Caerphilly (1.95%)
Bridgend (1.90%)
Port Talbot (1.76%)
Vale of Glamorgan (1.70%)
South Ayrshire (1.65%)
Merseyside (1.52%)
Cardiff (1.50%)
Cleveland (1.45%)
West Yorkshire (1.40%)
Swansea (1.36%)

Whilst the reasons for these high number of disqualifications predominantly stem from the typical offences, such as speeding or drink driving, many are now being penalised for other offences including ‘careless driving’. This is where drivers are judged to be lacking awareness and attention for other road users.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research spokesman for UK road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said: “With the winter months making road safety a top priority for many, the data highlights how many drivers are falling foul of the law at different rates across the country. While variations in police enforcement and vehicle types make comparisons difficult it is worrying that so many rural areas seem to have high numbers of people willing to break the law. This means that not only do road users have to look out for all the usual country road problems and the cold weather but also anticipate the actions of those around them. The message is clear; if you live in one of the areas highlighted then you will need all your observation skills to be as safe as possible on every trip.”

If you need advice on your eye health, be sure to read our Feel Good Contacts Eye care hub and always ensure you wear your contact lenses and prescriptive eyewear when driving, especially on the dangerous icy roads.

The full data from the DVLA can be found in the table below:

County	2014	2015	2016	2017	% change (14-17)	2018	Total disqualified drivers	Total full license holders	% of all drivers who are disqualified
ORKNEY ISLANDS	12	19	17	26	116.67%	13	6,249	17014	10.25%
INVERCLYDE	59	95	133	135	128.81%	52	3,229	58986	5.35%
TORFAEN	110	145	195	274	149.09%	107	3,512	70199	4.79%
GWYNEDD	102	162	227	248	143.14%	145	2,827	87700	4.15%
BLAENAU GWENT	91	137	196	189	107.69%	93	2,733	48431	3.34%
EAST RENFREWSHIRE	41	71	64	92	124.39%	44	2,070	70498	3.20%
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE	75	125	152	159	112.00%	63	2,231	69118	2.79%
WREXHAM	157	250	291	329	109.55%	189	2,663	101929	2.70%
DUNDEE CITY	127	223	264	279	119.69%	127	2,978	103302	2.69%
CONWY	113	195	212	237	109.73%	175	2,294	91013	2.45%
COUNTY OF HEREFORDSHIRE UA	169	233	355	373	120.71%	155	2,640	142332	2.33%
NEWPORT	262	401	534	505	92.75%	245	3,217	113379	2.20%
MERTHYR TYDFIL	108	135	187	178	64.81%	70	1,980	39437	2.20%
EAST AYRSHIRE	106	214	200	219	106.60%	103	2,380	89843	2.09%
CAERPHILLY	230	385	461	462	100.87%	277	3,036	133349	1.95%
CEREDIGION	50	72	87	96	92.00%	38	1,540	51345	1.91%
BRIDGEND	150	278	281	296	97.33%	158	2,074	110717	1.90%
NEATH PORT TALBOT	166	278	272	320	92.77%	158	2,449	102993	1.76%
ISLE OF ANGLESEY	94	98	158	172	82.98%	124	1,686	54904	1.70%
THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN	111	157	207	224	101.80%	94	1,844	99797	1.70%
SOUTH AYRSHIRE	82	140	140	161	96.34%	77	1,500	89191	1.65%
FLINTSHIRE	182	270	304	344	89.01%	204	2,094	116216	1.58%
POWYS	98	157	183	196	100.00%	94	1,802	106778	1.56%
MERSEYSIDE	1258	2031		3812	203.02%	2214	10,258	1016744	1.52%
CARDIFF	461	746	918	776	68.33%	448	4,210	241386	1.50%
CLEVELAND	747	1179	1530	1494	100.00%	991	6,832	483667	1.45%
WEST YORKSHIRE	2398	4354	5171	5134	114.10%	3785	21,783	1626938	1.40%
RHONDDA CYNON TAFF	316	441	537	534	68.99%	283	2,983	173409	1.37%
SWANSEA	311	550	630	478	53.70%	313	2,878	175855	1.36%
SCOTTISH BORDERS	67	116	124	131	95.52%	56	1,317	92079	1.36%
MIDLOTHIAN	86	107	157	158	83.72%	68	1,387	68917	1.34%
CLACKMANNANSHIRE	50	67	87	85	70.00%	46	1,177	42628	1.33%
DURHAM	500	881	1074	978	95.60%	561	4,751	374261	1.29%
WEST MIDLANDS	3132	5025	6159	6442	105.68%	3806	25,259	2015440	1.27%
TYNE AND WEAR	1031	1797	2061	2141	107.66%	1128	8,758	759093	1.24%
EILEAN SIAR	30	54	37	42	40.00%	17	702	21035	1.23%
DENBIGHSHIRE	115	137	192	180	56.52%	140	1,332	72793	1.22%
BEDFORDSHIRE	611	1056	1160	1323	116.53%	696	5,461	523144	1.20%
WEST LOTHIAN	148	227	262	283	91.22%	164	1,633	137511	1.19%
NORTHUMBERLAND	282	384	491	561	98.94%	235	2,592	243334	1.16%
LANCASHIRE	1506	2241	2644	3162	109.96%	1652	11,757	1111430	1.12%
SOUTH YORKSHIRE	1299	2295	2654	2516	93.69%	1249	10,613	954345	1.11%
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE	1216	1954	2048	2218	82.40%	1264	9,335	816773	1.11%
SHROPSHIRE	468	642	812	917	95.94%	440	3,414	380935	1.08%
ABERDEEN CITY	308	450	399	434	40.91%	203	2,323	175171	1.07%
CHESHIRE	995	1383	1916	2078	108.84%	1166	8,139	850402	1.03%
STAFFORDSHIRE	1076	1616	1981	2049	90.43%	1096	8,305	838049	1.00%
WORCESTERSHIRE	522	755	1002	1038	98.85%	515	4,197	473009	1.00%
LINCOLNSHIRE	1220	1826	1935	1881	54.18%	1136	8,346	824550	0.98%
NORTH LANARKSHIRE	337	525	534	556	64.99%	318	2,712	247553	0.98%
EDINBURGH CITY OF	271	459	503	565	108.49%	319	2,407	340366	0.97%
CARMARTHENSHIRE	219	246	321	342	56.16%	187	1,678	149919	0.97%
DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY	135	202	240	217	60.74%	127	1,206	116780	0.96%
GLASGOW CITY	529	871	882	917	73.35%	470	3,989	411324	0.96%
SHETLAND ISLANDS	32	38	36	39	21.88%	6	447	18106	0.94%
CAMBRIDGESHIRE	855	1248	1315	1441	68.54%	914	6,000	641642	0.93%
RENFREWSHIRE	149	274	211	258	73.15%	115	1,289	132572	0.93%
GREATER MANCHESTER	2601	4133	4330	4581	76.12%	2596	18,466	2004572	0.92%
MORAY	89	144	124	132	48.31%	71	827	72554	0.91%
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE	820	1141	1121	1304	59.02%	697	5,353	587541	0.89%
PEMBROKESHIRE	113	172	215	167	47.79%	101	1,001	96203	0.89%
NORFOLK	767	1155	1264	1482	93.22%	839	5,775	692442	0.88%
BERKSHIRE	834	1287	1361	1635	96.04%	845	6,184	750439	0.87%
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE	713	984	1151	1395	95.65%	689	5,207	657715	0.87%
EAST SUSSEX	511	953	1025	1087	112.72%	542	4,308	633524	0.87%
FIFE	360	503	564	530	47.22%	253	2,362	274176	0.85%
EAST YORKSHIRE	564	817	919	854	51.42%	457	3,742	437513	0.85%
SUFFOLK	599	874	1043	1159	93.49%	756	4,614	587921	0.84%
DORSET	639	878	1083	1216	90.30%	758	4,757	620228	0.84%
ABERDEENSHIRE	253	366	396	392	54.94%	187	1,748	205496	0.84%
NORTH AYRSHIRE	133	174	158	187	40.60%	107	946	101911	0.83%
GLOUCESTERSHIRE	479	706	851	929	93.95%	513	3,612	505360	0.83%
CUMBRIA	476	635	700	789	65.76%	483	3,286	393837	0.82%
HIGHLAND	259	346	315	349	34.75%	194	1,595	186342	0.82%
GREATER LONDON	7976	12551	12995	14070	76.40%	7941	55,713	6893909	0.81%
LEICESTERSHIRE	1000	1405	1462	1551	55.10%	961	6,542	806601	0.81%
FALKIRK	148	195	242	199	34.46%	94	1,005	118567	0.80%
NORTH YORKSHIRE	643	1031	1110	1179	83.36%	635	4,733	631328	0.80%
DERBYSHIRE	815	1275	1407	1477	81.23%	955	6,064	782256	0.79%
AVON	991	1451	1461	1637	65.19%	1052	6,718	858606	0.79%
WARWICKSHIRE	473	695	794	810	71.25%	424	3,308	445014	0.78%
WILTSHIRE	555	732	933	1036	86.67%	533	3,906	572669	0.77%
MONMOUTHSHIRE	79	103	137	107	35.44%	66	608	74935	0.77%
SOUTH LANARKSHIRE	276	389	410	433	56.88%	216	1,822	246685	0.76%
KENT	1537	2264	2510	2675	74.04%	1491	10,568	1416466	0.76%
ESSEX	1427	2274	2459	2637	84.79%	1673	10,573	1438452	0.75%
HAMPSHIRE	1600	2400	2404	2538	58.63%	1535	10,561	1534691	0.69%
ANGUS	103	130	135	131	27.18%	85	699	89526	0.69%
OXFORDSHIRE	468	661	736	870	85.90%	452	3,281	536136	0.69%
PERTH AND KINROSS	101	184	174	152	50.50%	71	760	113379	0.68%
SOMERSET	502	614	651	725	44.42%	445	3,023	451177	0.67%
EAST LOTHIAN	78	98	110	112	43.59%	54	540	79314	0.67%
HERTFORDSHIRE	979	1326	1397	1620	65.47%	917	6,318	968580	0.66%
WEST SUSSEX	568	1066	1051	1078	89.79%	559	4,404	700618	0.64%
CORNWALL AND ISLES OF SCILLY	435	574	656	671	54.25%	343	2,747	446348	0.63%
SURREY	855	1357	1426	1419	65.96%	876	6,004	1004258	0.61%
DEVON	827	1160	1371	1346	62.76%	764	5,526	920218	0.61%
STIRLING	59	100	72	77	30.51%	47	391	71375	0.58%
CITY OF EDINBURGH	9	12	20	11	22.22%	9	72	12566	0.57%
EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE	61	85	92	101	65.57%	31	390	88235	0.57%
ARGYLL AND BUTE	72	87	87	74	2.78%	54	383	69340	0.55%
UNKNOWN	494	831	885	844	70.85%	507	6,092	61519	6.23%

The data was collected from the Driver and Vehicles Licensing Agency from January 2014 to July 2018. The disqualification percentage was calculated from the number of drivers disqualified compared to the number of those with full licences in their respective areas. The unknown category of drivers indicates the DVLA does not hold sufficient location data for these road users.

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