Motorists With Driving Convictions Rife on British Roads

CHESTER, England, November 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Almost a quarter of motorists searching for car insurance on MoneySupermarket stated they had a driving conviction
• Two thirds were speeding and speed-related

MoneySupermarket supports 'Road Safety Week' (19-25 November 2012). Motorists with driving convictions are rife on British roads, according to an analysis of over 14 million car insurance quotes by MoneySupermarket.com.

The UK's number one comparison site analysed over 14 million car insurance quotes over 12 months as part of the MoneySupermarket Monitor on Car Insurance^[*], and found almost 3.4 million (23.9 per cent) searches were carried out by people with prior driving convictions. Speeding and speed-related offences were the most common (2.3 million), making up almost 70 per cent. This was followed by careless, reckless and unfit driving/crashes representing 12 per cent, while drink- or drugs-related motoring convictions contributed to 4.3 per cent of all offences.

Kevin Pratt, car insurance expert at MoneySupermarket.com, said: "It's perhaps surprising to see how many motorists have been convicted of a driving offence by taking unnecessary risks or displaying a lack of caution on the roads. This means a quarter of motorists on Britain's roads could have a conviction on their licence for breaking a driving law. Insurers take a very dim view on such motorists, and convicted drivers can expect to see the cost of their car insurance impacted."

Year on year the number of convictions has fallen as in quarter three 2011 the total rate of convictions was 13.6 per cent, compared to 12.1 per cent at the same time in 2012. The biggest decrease was to the number of speeding and speed-related convictions which dropped 1.4 percentage points, from 9.6 to 8.2 per cent, a 14.6 per cent decrease.^[2] In other driving offence groups there were very small movements with careless, reckless, and unfit driving/crashes increasing slightly by 0.1 per cent from 1.4 to 1.5 per cent and conversely drink- and drugs-related convictions decreased from 0.6 to 0.5 per hundred quotes. 

Kevin Pratt concluded: "While convictions do seem to be on a slight downward trend, Road Safety Week is still a very timely reminder to all motorists to be aware and considerate on the roads. Our data shows speeding convictions top the chart for most reported conviction, and not only are motorists who commit speeding offences risking the lives of other road users and pedestrians as well as their own, there is also a significant impact on their insurance costs. Those with multiple convictions may find it difficult to get insurance in future."

Sarah Fatica, general manager, Brake, said: "Sadly it comes as no surprise that so many drivers have driving convictions. For most people, driving is one of the most dangerous activities that they will do and drivers who flout traffic laws show a complete disregard for human life. Speed is the biggest contributory factor in road crashes and regularly kills and maims. We call upon all drivers in the run up to Road Safety Week, and thereafter, to commit to driving slowly and safely, and abiding the traffic laws which are there to protect us."

Notes to editors:

^[*]MoneySupermarket Monitor on car insurance:

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/monitor/

14,202,078 million quotes run on the MoneySupermarket car insurance site between 1st October 2011 - 30^th September 2012.

Driving convictions monitor page: http://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/monitor-convictions/

Road Safety Week: http://www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/ 19-25 November 2012.

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SOURCE moneysupermarket.com