A new report highlights Greater Manchester towns with alarming driving stats, revealing Bolton and others as hotspots for dangerous driving incidents
In the year leading up to June 2024, police in England and Wales recorded over 5,700 dangerous driving incidents. Out of those, 830 resulted in death or serious injury. That’s a pretty alarming number, right?
While the overall figures are similar to the past couple of years, the serious incidents have actually gone up by 12% since 2022. It seems like the risk of running into a reckless driver is especially high in the North, with Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire topping the charts.
Bolton isn’t alone, though. Other towns in Greater Manchester like Rochdale, Tameside, and Salford also made the top 20 list for driving offences.
Now, if you think Bolton is bad, Bradford takes the crown as the most dangerous driving area in England and Wales. In the last three years, they reported 1,039 dangerous driving crimes, including 39 that led to serious injuries or fatalities. Leeds is close behind, with 1,096 reports.
When you look at the population, Bradford’s numbers are shocking. For every 100,000 people eligible to drive, there were 247 offences. That’s like one dangerous driving incident for every 420 people!
The DVLA even found that in certain Bradford postcodes, one in 20 drivers has at least six points on their licence. That’s a lot of risky drivers!
Other areas in West Yorkshire, like Calderdale and Leeds, also have high rates of dangerous driving. It’s clear that the North has a serious problem, with all the worst areas for driving offences located there.
If you’re curious about how your area stacks up, there’s an interactive map you can check out.
Dangerous driving includes actions that are way below what a careful driver would do, putting everyone at risk. This can be anything from speeding to driving under the influence.
The consequences can be severe, ranging from fines to imprisonment. For the most serious cases, like causing death by dangerous driving, the penalty can be up to 14 years in prison.
So, stay safe out there and keep an eye on those reckless drivers!
