Northern Ireland driving offences: here's where most are likely to take place

Recent policing data analysed by CompareNI.com shows the council areas with the highest and lowest rate of driving offences in Northern Ireland.

The figures show there were 39,402 motoring offence detections in Northern Ireland in the 12 months from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.

Out of all 11 council areas, Antrim and Newtownabbey had the highest rate of motoring offences, with 316 offences per 10,000 people.

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon had the next highest with 313 offences per 10,000 people, followed by Mid Ulster and Belfast City with 292 and 291 offences respectively, per 10,000 people.

Derry City and Strabane and Fermanagh and Omagh fell around the middle with 288 and 269 offences per 10,000 people, a 6% and 3% decrease for the council areas from the year before.

Lisburn and Castlereagh saw the biggest decrease in motoring offences with a 15% decrease from the same time the previous year, falling from 255 to 218 offences per 10,000 people.

Newry, Mourne and Down also saw a large decrease in offences, falling by 14% from 303 to 262 offences per 10,000 people.

Ards and North Down had the lowest number of offences per 10,000 with just 159 offences per 10,000 people, however the council area also saw the largest increase in offences up 19% from the same period the year before.

Mid and East Antrim and Causeway Coast and Glens also had a low number of offences with 182 and 198 offences per 10,000 people.

Overall, in Northern Ireland, the total number of motoring offence detections decreased by 8% compared with the previous year.

There was a notable reduction in speeding which was the highest offence group the previous year. Speeding offences decreased by 22% with 1,578 less offences recorded. The highest speed detected by PSNI officers in the latest 12 months was 144mph, on the M2 in Belfast.

Insurance offences increased by 2% making them the largest offence group recorded with 7,179 offences.

Insurance costs have been rapidly increasing and a recent survey by CompareNI.com revealed that 82% of people said their car insurance was more expensive this year with a quarter of those surveyed (25%) admitting the cost of insurance had made them reconsider driving altogether.

Commenting on the data, Ian Wilson, managing director of CompareNI.com, Northern Ireland’s largest price comparison site, said: “It’s encouraging to see that the overall rate of motoring offences is decreasing in Northern Ireland. However, it is disappointing to see that insurance offences have now overtaken speeding as the largest offence group on roads in Northern Ireland.

"Driving without insurance is illegal and the consequences can be both severe and expensive. Those caught driving without adequate insurance can face six penalty points, disqualification from driving and a fine of up to £200.

"Our recent survey shows that drivers in Northern Ireland are already struggling with the rising cost of insurance, and nobody wants to be paying more than they should be. Three points on a licence can mean 5% more on a premium every year for the four years it stays on the licence, six points can push up fees by about 25%.

"Car insurance premiums are up 25% across the UK in 2023 with the average cost surging over a £100 from £434 to £543. In Northern Ireland the averages are higher again, increasing from £500 at the start of 2023 to £575 by the end of September.

"But there are ways drivers here can find savings. Shopping early can help as prices tend to increase the closer you get to your renewal date – three weeks before is often the most competitive time to buy. If possible, it’s also best to pay the entire annual premium upfront to save in the long term.

"Also make sure to compare everything, don’t allow your policy to renew automatically or settle for the first insurance quote you receive. Do your research and compare quotes from multiple sources to get the cheapest price. You can save time and utilise price comparison websites to help you compare providers, products, and prices.”