Doncaster named as one of worst cities in the UK for uninsured drivers

New data sourced from a DVLA Freedom of Information request has revealed the areas of Britain where the most drivers have been caught without insurance.

Sourced and analysed by the team at Scrap Car Comparison, the research identifies the cities which have seen the most drivers receive points for being uninsured, per 1,000 of the population - with Doncaster ranking 4th.

Driving without insurance poses a huge risk for other drivers on the road in the event of a collision, as they could be left massively out of pocket due to the actions of the uninsured driver.

However, many instances of driving without insurance are one unintentionally, where people aren’t entirely clear on the terms of their own policies and whether this covers them in another vehicle.

Manchester topped the charts as the area with the most drivers receiving points per 1,000 of the population, at 3.22 drivers per 1,000

Oldham (2.62 drivers per 1,000) and Bolton (2.59 drivers per 1,000) followed in second and third

Doncaster is ranked in 4th place with almost 2.5 drivers (per 1,000) caught withouth insurance

The data reveals that 13,577 drivers received points for driving without insurance, or related offences, between June 2023 and June 2024

In the UK it’s illegal to drive a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least third-party insurance - though many aren’t even covering themselves at the lowest level.

During the 12-month period from June 2023 to June 2024, more than 13,500 drivers in the UK received penalty points using the IN10, IN12 or IN14 endorsement codes. These codes relate to either using a vehicle uninsured against third-party risks; aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a vehicle uninsured against third party risks, or finally, causing or permitting the use of a vehicle uninsured against third party risks.

Those who are found to be driving without insurance, or a related offence, can receive 6-8 points on their licence as well as a £300 fixed penalty, though this can become an unlimited fine and a driving disqualification if the case goes to court.

To fairly rank where drivers are most likely to be uninsured, the researchers at Scrap Car Comparison compared the number of drivers that were awarded penalty points for driving without third party insurance in a particular location, with the city’s population size. This helped to avoid large populations and therefore high uninsured driver numbers skewing the results.

These calculations reveal that there seems to be an uninsured driver problem within the Northwest, with Manchester, Oldham and Bolton taking up the top three spots. According to the data, at least three motorists will be driving without insurance, out of every 1,000 people in Manchester.

Beyond the Northwest dominating the rankings as the capital of uninsured drivers, other northern cities also feature heavily, with Doncaster, Bradford, Rotherham and Middlesbrough all also ranking within the top ten, resulting in more than 70% of the cities in the top flight coming from the north of England.

Elsewhere, Glasgow is the top-ranking city in Scotland, and the only Scottish city in the top 25, placing 14th worst for drivers without insurance.