More than one million motorists have exchanged their foreign driving licences for UK ones over the past fifteen years, new information has revealed.
The figures, which were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that the number of foreign licences exchanged per year peaked at 96,935 in 2007, falling to 79,187 in 2009 and rising back to 83,553 last year.
The UK recognises driving licences obtained in 50 other countries and allows overseas drivers to convert their foreign permits into UK licences after 12 months of residency without taking a UK driving test.
The figures were requested by car insurers Swiftcover.com, who have called for mandatory training for foreign drivers.
Robin Reames, Chief claims officer at Swiftcover.com, said: "UK roads are very different to those overseas, so it's vital new motorists learn as much as they can, which could include a few lessons from an instructor."
Since 1997, drivers from South Africa and Poland account for the highest number of foreign licence holders, with 149,897 and 135,079 on UK roads, respectively. Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong round off the top five.
