MORE than 5,000 drivers ran red lights in Essex last year, figures show.

The data - obtained by comparison site Go Compare under freedom of information laws - shows Essex ranked 5th highest out of 10 constabulary areas for the number of drivers ignoring traffic lights.

The figures showed 5,422 drivers were caught in 2018.

The data also shows Ford, Vauxhall and Mercedes were the car makes most likely to run a red light.

Of the handful of constabularies that were able to provide details on makes and models committing offences, 2,833 Fords were caught in 2018, which included 71 Fiestas and 53 Focuses.

Last year there were more than 61,600 vehicles caught running red lights across 18 police constabularies — a nine per cent decrease from the previous year’s tally of 67,910.

Red light running by constabulary

Police Scotland - 11,685 cases recorded in 2018

Nottinghamshire Police - 9,805

Avon and Somerset Constabulary - 9,675

Merseyside Police - 7,134

Essex Police - 5,422

Leicestershire Constabulary - 4,569

Greater Manchester Police - 3,592

Northumbria Police - 2,805

Hertfordshire Constabulary - 2,094

Kent Police - 1,790

North Wales Police - 860

Staffordshire Police - 714

Dorset Police - 619

Bedfordshire Police - 427

Cambridgeshire Constabulary - 200

Cleveland Police - 166

Wiltshire Police - 96

Durham Constabulary - 17