A speeding ticket can be a massive nuisance at any time. However, this week new legislation has been brought in to make people more aware of their speed and to make increased fines and penalties more of a deterrent. In this article, we are going to look at the new guidelines regarding speeding and what you need to be aware of before you set off on your next journey.
Why it was brought in
The changes have been brought in after a 2016 consultation with the Sentencing Council. The consultation concluded that the current punishments did not provide enough of an incentive for drivers to drive safely and it was feared that this attitude was potentially endangering public safety.
When the rules came in
The new rules came into effect as of Monday 24th April. While this will apply to any new offences it is also very important to note that this will apply to any offence you are accused of regardless of when it took place.
The punishment
Depending on the severity of the offence you could end up having to pay as much as 175% of your weekly wage and furthermore you could receive three points on your licence. Previously people caught speeding could be fined 100% of their income. The recommendation was brought in because it is felt that this will encourage people to think twice before speeding. The fines are divided into bands, each representing an increasing amount of danger (Band A is 50% weekly income, Band B 100% and Band C 150-175% depending on how fast you were driving and the potential threat). Also, the speed can affect the potential punishment- if you are caught driving at 101 miles per hour in an area with a 70 miles per hour limit then you could be disqualified for up to 56 days.
Talk to us
Of course, if you are caught speeding then it can be worrying. In some cases, there may be mitigating circumstances (such as if your partner is pregnant and you needed to rush to the hospital).
If you are concerned about the changes in the law then you may want to discuss this with us. For example, if you run a transport business then it is worth knowing these changes to the law and communicating them with your drivers in order to avoid any costly fines and to ensure that none of them are disqualified for the more severe penalties.
At Larcomes’ we offer specialist representation with the resources they need while at the same time providing the customer service you deserve (our motto has always been “Big enough to specialise, small enough to care).
If you would like more information about the changes in the law or have an upcoming speeding offence please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your circumstances in more detail.lice