Young drivers in Halifax among the locations with most issued penalty points last year

Young drivers in Yorkshire rack up more driving licence points than in any other place in the UK - with 1550 new drivers holding penalty points on their record per 100,000.

While young drivers in London hold the record for the lowest number of driving points than any other city in the UK, with West Central London named the place with the safest young drivers.

New research has revealed where young drivers across the country could be just a few points away from losing their licence.

Following an FOI request to the DVLA, the new research by young driver insurers, Marmalade found young drivers aged 17-25 in Wakefield, Bradford and Halifax have more penalty points from driving offences than the rest of the country.

Halifax was third on the list of places with the most driving licence points with 507 people with points per 100,000 people.

The town is behind Bradford at 514 with Wakefield topping the list with 529 people with points per 100,000 people.

The research also revealed the most common driving offence for 17-25 year olds across the UK is exceeding the statutory speed limit on a public road, followed by using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks and driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit.

While the most common period for receiving driving offences among young drivers is the summer, with July and August found to be the months where drivers receive the highest number of points.

Commenting on the research, Crispin Moger, CEO at Marmalade, said: “The research highlights a real opportunity to give young motorists the tools to improve their driving and to help give them better access to affordable cover that still enables them to get behind the wheel.

“While young people receive a lot of support to pass their driving test, they also need support to develop their driving skills after the test too. Through technology like telematics, we can help make young drivers more aware of their speed and develop safe driving habits, whilst also making the roads more affordable for young people and helping to change the driving habits of the nation.”

The research also revealed drivers in London had the lowest number of points on their licence, closely followed by young drivers in Lerwick, Scotland.

With over two million people taking the tube every day in London, the data showed there were no driving licence points held by the 2,008 young drivers in West Central London.