Drivers face penalty points and fines after new figures revealed more than 351,000 red-light violations across the UK in just three years. The Freedom of Information request, submitted by motoring company Cinch, found that 351,244 offences for failing to stop at a red traffic light were recorded by 26 police forces between 2023 and 2025. The total represents a 37.5 per cent increase in red-light running from 2023 to 2025.
Red light offences jump by more than a third
The sharp rise has prompted safety warnings from motoring experts and road safety groups. 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."
Welham stressed the potential consequences: "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." He added: "Even if a driver believes they have enough time to make it through safely, other road users may already be moving through the junction on a green signal."
How red light cameras catch offenders
The data, obtained from police forces across the country, includes offences captured by various methods. GoSafe, which manages road safety cameras in Wales, explained: "Any red-light contravention is captured by GoSafe in one of three ways – through a fixed, dedicated red-light camera located at dangerous junctions to capture drivers running a red light; a 'speed on green' camera at junctions, which captures speeding drivers when the lights are green and red-light contraventions when the light is red; or through Operation Snap, whereby motorists can submit videos via the portal to us of drivers committing offences."
GoSafe added that offenders are "dealt with in one of two ways. If eligible, they are offered a driver improvement course which is run by the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme. If they are not eligible for this then the offence of running a red light carries a penalty of 3 points and a £100 fine."
London hotspot and wider concerns
The figures reveal significant regional variation, with London's Metropolitan Police recording by far the highest number of offences – 187,261 drivers were caught failing to stop at red lights. This accounts for more than half of all offences recorded across the 26 forces.
The increase in red-light running has worrying implications for road safety, particularly for vulnerable road users. At busy junctions, even a few seconds of misjudgement can lead to serious collisions. The rising numbers also place additional strain on policing and the courts, as each offence requires investigation and processing.
Motoring organisations have repeatedly emphasised that traffic signals exist to protect all road users. Drivers are advised to approach junctions with caution, and to slow down as the lights change rather than attempting to speed through. The cost of a short-lived time saving can be severe – not just in financial penalties and points, but in the safety of others.
