Speeding Fines And Penalties: What You Need To Know

If you are found speeding in the UK, the minimum punishment for a Fixed Penalty Notice violation is a £100 fine and three penalty points added to your licence or the option to attend a driver speed awareness program. Fines for major speeding offences in England and Wales were raised in 2017, possibly costing drivers hundreds of pounds.

So, if you don’t want to get charged with costly penalties or points added to your licence, it’s important to know the effects of being caught speeding, on-road legal responsibilities to comply with, and how to get yourself out of the situation.

What You Need to Know About Speeding Fines in the UK

Speeding charges vary based on the seriousness of the offence, but at the lowest, you will be fined £100 and three points will be added to your licence.

Speeding offences are classified into three bands which are shown below.

Band A – If the zone’s speeding limit is 20mph and a person is caught speeding between 21-30mph will be charged with 3 penalty points, and you will be fined 25-75% depending on your average weekly income.

Band B –  In this category, if the speeding limit is 20mph and a person is caught speeding between 31-40mph will be charged with 4-6 penalty points, and you will be fined according to 75-125% depending on your average weekly income. They will also be disqualified from driving for up to 7-28 days.

Band C – In this category, if the speeding limit is 20mph and a person is caught speeding more than 41mph will be charged with 6 penalty points, and you will be fined according to 125-175% depending on your average weekly income. They will also be disqualified from driving for up to 7-56 days.

There are three more bands, D, E, and F, that deal with more serious offences, such as dangerously high speeding when the driver is:

Carrying passengers

On bail

Towing a caravan or trailer

Has past charges

In control of a big vehicle

Transporting a heavy cargo

Driving near school

Driving through a strongly pedestrianised zone

The fine for a band D offence is between 200-300 per cent of your weekly income, 300-500 per cent of your weekly income for a band E offence, and 500-700 per cent of your weekly income for a band F offence.

In some cases, speed awareness training may be provided in substitution for points on your licence. Whereas this would need a full day and will cost roughly £90, it is well worth it to prevent yourself from getting those points. There’s no assurance you’ll be offered this choice.

What Happens If You Get Pulled Over/Caught For Speeding?

You might get caught or pulled over for speeding by traffic police or a speed camera. Each has a somewhat different approach.

If You were Pulled Over by a Traffic Police for Speeding

If you are pulled over by traffic police for speeding, and the offence is small, they might give you only a verbal warning and will let you go. They may also hand you Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), for which you have to plead guilty or not guilty.

If Camera Caught You Speeding

If a camera finds you speeding, you will be given a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) together with a Section 172 notice within 14 days. If you want to avoid going to court, you must fill out the notice and send it to the police within 28 days, informing them about who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence.

After submitting the section 172 notice, you will either receive a letter instructing you to appear in court or an FPN.

If you receive an FPN, it will outline the fine you will face, and you will have the option of pleading guilty or not guilty. If you choose not to plead guilty, you will have to appear in court, and your sentence will be more serious if you are proven guilty.

How to Make a Speeding Ticket Payment?

In Wales and England, you may submit and make payment of your speeding ticket online at gov.uk. You simply need to have your FPN handy for some additional information.

How to Dispute or Contest a Speeding Ticket?

You have the right to dispute your speeding ticket if you disagree with it. A fine is rarely reversed; however, if one of the following conditions is met, your contest can be heard:

You were not driving too fast.

You were not driving at the time of the offence.

The speed restriction was not correctly stated.

It wasn’t your car that got caught speeding.

Your vehicle was stolen.

Complete the application form on your Notice of Intended Prosecution to contest a speeding ticket and explain why you feel you shouldn’t get a speeding ticket.

You must closely consider if you have a strong case for contesting the penalty since if the police decline your appeal, you may have to appear in court.

Get Legal Help From Wembley Solicitors

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Drivers who have been convicted may appeal their penalty or conviction.The best approach is to employ skilled attorneys who can advise you on the best line of action to take.

So, if you believe you have reasons to fight the ticket or plead not guilty, contact Wembley Solicitor’s specialist road traffic offences lawyer to determine the best approach. The sooner their team can join your case, the more time they will have to build the right case for you and help you in court.

Wembley Solicitors has years of expertise providing legal help for traffic violations, UK immigration, personal injury claims, road accidents claim, property insolvency and many more.

Contact their experts now for your legal advice and legal support.