A NEW study has suggested the Forest of Dean has some of the most ‘unsafe drivers’ in the UK.

The study, conducted by Howden Insurance, analysed Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data from the Department of Transport showing the number of licensed drivers and those with penalty points by postcode area. Researchers mapped postcodes to local authorities, which were ranked by the percentage of drivers with points.

The Forest of Dean ranked 305th out of 350 local authorities analysed, with 8.65 per cent of drivers having penalty points. The percentage results from 5,317 drivers with points out of 61,441 drivers with a full licence.

A Gloucestershire Constabulary spokesperson said: “Gloucestershire Constabulary is committed to keeping people safe on the roads and our officers will take appropriate action against those who put others at risk by driving at excessive speeds or in an otherwise dangerous manner.

“Speeding is one of the fatal four causes of road deaths and injury in the county, along with using a mobile phone while driving, not wearing a seat belt and drink or drug driving.

“Our Camera Enforcement Team regularly conducts speed checks across the county working with partner agencies, the Special Constabulary and members of the public to identify locations to visit in a bid to improve safety on our roads."

A spokesperson from Howden Insurance said: "The findings highlight significant regional differences in driving behaviour across Britain.

“For motorists, understanding these regional trends is valuable, as areas with fewer penalised drivers may benefit from lower insurance premiums due to their lower risk profiles. Traffic congestion and population density also plays a role, with urban areas facing higher accident risks simply due to the volume of vehicles on the road.”

Driving safety advice can be found on the Gloucestershire Constabulary website.