Drivers with personalised plates are six times as likely to be caught speeding

Drivers with a personalised number plate are six times more likely to have received a speeding ticket in the past three years, according to data collected by MoneySuperMarket
14 per cent of all UK drivers own a personalised plate14 per cent of all UK drivers own a personalised plate
14 per cent of all UK drivers own a personalised plate

With the new ‘67’ registration plates being released today, MoneySuperMarket polled over 2,000 people to get the nation’s opinions on so-called ‘vanity’ plates.

Over half of people (53 per cent) who own a personalised plate admitted to being slapped with a speeding ticket in the past three years – over six times more than those with a standard plate (8 per cent).

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The research also found that 14 per cent of all UK drivers own a personalised plate, with men more than twice as likely to have one than women. The plates are most common in London (28 per cent) and the North West (23 per cent), while drivers in Wales are least likely to own one (6 per cent).

What’s more, those with regular registrations have strong opinions on Brits sporting personalised plates, with one in three viewing owners as ‘posers’. Half (49 per cent) of Brits are so against the fashionable car enhancement that they would never consider getting one.

BMW owners (20 per cent) are most likely to have a personalised plate, closely followed by Audi drivers (16 per cent). The average cost of a personalised registration is £512, but prices can rocket for particularly distinctive plates. The record is £7.25 million for registration ‘1’.

To find out the best car insurance deals for different cars – whether with a personalised plate or not – MoneySuperMarket can help drivers take control of their cover with its motor insurance comparison tool.

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Kevin Pratt, consumer affairs expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “With the release of the new ‘67’ number plates, getting a personalised registration is at the front of many people’s mind. But there are a few things to consider before you buy.

“Anyone with a personalised plate should tell their insurer immediately when they get it so their policy can reflect the change in registration. And they should also be aware that, in the event their vehicle is written off and they make a claim on their insurance, the car usually becomes the property of the insurer, along with the registration. So it’s vital the driver tells both the DVLA and the insurer that they want to hang onto the plate as quickly as possible. If they don’t and the car is scrapped and sold on, then they’ll lose their right to use it in future.”

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