We welcome recent changes to the most serious speeding offences, whereby drivers caught speeding far in excess of the limit will now be hit with a 50 per cent higher fine under Sentencing Council rules which came into force on April 24.
Simon Hill, managing director, said: “Speed limits are in place for very good reasons and drivers who ignore them, particularly at excessive speeds, are putting lives in jeopardy and risking catastrophic accidents”.
“Hopefully these new rules will act as a deterrent and encourage the minority who break the law to follow the example of the majority who drive safely and observe the limit.”
The Sentencing Council initiative aims to cut the number of high speed accidents, reflecting the seriousness with which the courts view the worst offences.
The courts handle speeding fines in three categories, A, B and C, with the new penalty applying only to the more serious C level. For example, drivers speeding at 51mph or above in a 30 mph limit will fall into the C category and face a fine equivalent to 150 per cent of their weekly pay.
In addition, they will also get six penalty points on their licence or a 56 day driving ban.
The new rules apply in England and Wales, and while the base rate for band C fines has been increased, the upper limit remains the same.
Drivers can still be fined a maximum of £1,000, regardless of their weekly earnings, or £2,500 if they are caught speeding on the motorway.
The fines for bands A and B remain the same. That means motorists doing 31-40mph in a 30mph zone would fail into the Band A category. In these cases, they can expect a fine equivalent to 50 per cent of their income, and three penalty points on their licence.
A band B speeding fine relates to doing 41-50mph, for example, in a 30mph area. Offenders face a fine equivalent to their weekly income, four penalty points or disqualification from driving for up to 28 days.
Motorists caught speeding in the lower categories, A and B, can still face fines up to 125 per cent of their weekly income if they dispute the fixed penalty notice and lose their appeal in court.
