Motoring offences: 2020

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (COVID-19) had a significant impact on road traffic and police recorded road accidents and casualties in Wales in 2020 as restrictions were put in place around how, where and why individuals could travel. The restrictions generally resulted in reduced traffic volume for all types of motorised vehicles which is likely to have impacted the statistics presented in this release.

Main points

Fixed penalty notices (FPNs)                                                                   

• In 2020 police and traffic wardens issued 63,400 FPNs in Wales, a 15% reduction compared to 2019. Speed limit offences accounted    for 80% of FPNs in 2020.
• Since 2012, the number of FPNs issued in Wales have seen an overall decrease from a high of 112,400.

Court proceedings

• 45,500 motoring offenders were prosecuted in Wales in 2020, a 20% decrease compared to 2019.

Accidents involving drink driving (2019 data)                                       

• In 2019, an estimated 7% of all recorded accidents in Wales involved one or more drivers impaired by alcohol. For accidents resulting in killed or seriously injured casualties the proportion was higher, at 9%.
• 19% of motor vehicle drivers killed in Wales, were found to have had a blood alcohol level over the legal limit.

Screening breath tests

• In 2020, 24,800 screening breath tests were carried out in Wales a reduction from 32,500 in 2019. In 2020, 3,600 of these tests (14%) were either positive or refused, a 22% decrease compared with 2019.
• In 2020, there were 136 positive breath tests of drivers involved in accidents, a decrease of 47 (26%) compared with 2019.