British drivers are running a red light once every four-and-a-half minutes, with over 350,000 offences recorded between 2023 and 2025 by 26 police forces. The number of offences rose by 37.5% over the three-year period, according to Freedom of Information data obtained by cinch, the UK's biggest online used car retailer.
A further 33,951 red-light offences were recorded between January and March 2026, averaging more than 377 offences every day, or around one every four minutes.
Red-Light Offences Rise Sharply
Red-light offences rose from 101,184 in 2023 to 139,139 in 2025. The Metropolitan Police Service recorded the highest number, with 187,261 offences between 2023 and 2025, accounting for more than half (53.3%) of all offences recorded by responding forces.
Outside London, Nottinghamshire Police recorded 30,532 offences, followed by Leicestershire Constabulary (23,296), Surrey Police (17,779), and Police Scotland (17,232).
Afternoons Most Common Time
Among police forces that provided detailed time-of-day breakdowns, afternoons were the most common time for red-light offences, accounting for more than a third (35.4%) of all offences. Forces including Leicestershire, Police Scotland, Suffolk, Norfolk and Bedfordshire recorded their highest numbers between 12pm and 4:59pm.
Ben Welham, motoring expert at cinch, said: “Driving through a red light often happens when drivers misjudge the timing of a light changing, or when they attempt to make it through a junction too late. However, failing to stop at a red light can put motorists, cyclists and pedestrians at serious risk, particularly at busy junctions where multiple lanes of traffic are moving at once.”
Some Areas See 500% Increase
Several police force areas recorded sharp increases. Humberside Police saw the largest percentage rise, with offences increasing from 299 in 2023 to 2,004 in 2025 – a 570.2% jump. West Mercia Police recorded a 533.1% increase (426 to 2,697), and Nottinghamshire Police a 245.6% increase (4,635 to 16,017).
Mr Welham added: “These findings should serve as an important reminder for drivers to approach junctions with enough time to stop safely. Drivers should always leave enough space from the vehicle in front, approach junctions at an appropriate speed and avoid making last-second decisions when lights change.”
