Tax dodgers: does the colour of your car make you less likely to pay tax?

Enforcement teams across the UK clamped or impounded over 118,000 vehicles in 2016 – and one colour car topped the bill when it came to tax avoidance.

Some 30,000 silver cars were taken by the DVLA’s officers – making it the most commonly clamped vehicle colour.

The top 10 most commonly clamped vehicle colours were:

When looking at the UK’s best-selling car models, the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra took the top spots with more than 5,000 of each being hauled in.

But it’s not just your everyday run around cars that were caught short; a number of prestige and high-end super cars were caught without tax.

The top 10 high-end cars either clamped or impounded were:

National Wheelclamping Manager at the DVLA, Bethan Beasley, said: “Our enforcement teams are out and about on the roads around the UK all year. Their vans are equipped with number plate recognition cameras so any vehicle that isn’t taxed is at risk of being clamped or impounded.

“The majority of drivers will never come into contact with our clamping teams as more than 98% of vehicles on the road are correctly taxed. However, those who risk using an untaxed vehicle on the road will have to manage the cost and inconvenience of their vehicle being clamped or impounded.”

 How do I tax my car?

You can tax your car – paying the Vehicle Excise Duty, to call it by its formal name – online, over the phone by calling 0300 123 4321 or at your local Post Office.

For more information on car tax, including the new rates and the penalties you face if you’re caught without it, read our guide Car Tax Explained.