The number of speeding offences in England and Wales declined during the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 but careless driving fines actually rose.

Speeding offences in 2020/21 reduced by 12.9% year-on-year but careless driving fines increased by a fifth (19.6%)

New statistics for 2020/21 from the Home Office show speeding offences reduced by 12.9% when compared to 2019/20. Shockingly, careless driving fines increased by a fifth (19.6%).

The figures also show that drivers penalised for using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving reduced by two-fifths (39.0%) and neglect of traffic signs dropped by a fifth (22.4%).

But while most offences dropped, tickets for people not wearing a seat belt increased by 17.4% and licence-related offences grew by 10.3%.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said: “While many heeded the calls to stay at home, some who ventured out on the roads tried to turn empty streets into a racetrack.

“During the first lockdown, several drivers felt that traffic police would be enforcing pandemic-related laws rather than the rules of the road. Thankfully they were wrong, and the message was heard loud and clear.

“As we hope for some form of normality in 2022, it is the perfect time to hit the reset button on our driving behaviour. Slowing down, allowing more room for cyclists, horses and pedestrians and locking the mobile phone away are things all drivers must do to ensure safety on our roads.

“To eliminate road fatalities by the end of the decade, we must do all we can to make our roads safer and take note of the upcoming changes to the Highway Code early next year.”