Drivers in Dorset are rated among the least reckless on the roads.

New statistics reveal that road users in the county can be considered some of most law abiding when it comes to speeding.

The latest data available from the Home Office ranks Dorset as the police force area with the eight fewest amount of speeding offences in the UK per head of population. 

Dorset had a total of 20,153 offences committed during that period.

With a population of 781,400 residents, the police force recorded 20,153 speed violations, averaging 2,579 offences per 100,000 motorists.

Lincolnshire was the worst offending police force area with a total of 88,641 speeding fines.

These figures cover the period from April 2021 up to March 2022. 

The penalty for speeding offences in the UK can be quite costly. A minimum fine of £100 is issued, which can rise to £2,500 if the case is taken to court.

In addition, those who are caught speeding are also placed on the offender’s licence for four years. 

Depending on the circumstances, drivers may be offered a speed awareness course to educate them on the dangers of speeding and help them avoid re-offending in the future.

The research also looked at how many people had been searching for speed awareness courses on the internet. 

Dorset again came out as one of the counties in the UK with the fewest amount of searches. 

In total, 2,500 searches were made between November 2022 and October 2023.

This compares to 2,410 searches by people living in Cambridgeshire, which had the fewest, and 12,980 in West Yorkshire, which was the county with the most searches.

The survey was carried out by vehicle finance company Money Barn