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Speed Limits | Speeding Penalties | Speeding Endorsements | Speeding Courses

 

SPEEDING OFFENCES & SPEED LIMITS In the UK

s. 89(1) of The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 [1] states:
  1. A person who drives a motor vehicle on a road at a speed exceeding a limit imposed by or under any enactment [...] shall be guilty of an offence.

It is an offence to drive a motor vehicle on a road while exceeding the legal speed limit.

UK National Speed Limits

Type of vehicle
Legal Speed Limit
 
built up area
single carriageway
dual carriageway
motorway
 
mph (km/h)
mph (km/h)
mph (km/h)
mph (km/h)
Cars & Motorbikes
Including car-derived vans up to 2 tonnes in weight
30 (48)
60 (96)
70 (112)
70 (112)
Cars towing caravans or trailers
Including car-derived vans & motorbikes
30 (48)
50 (80)
60 (96)
60 (96)
Buses, coaches & minibuses
Under 12 metres in length
30 (48)
50 (80)
60 (96)
70 (112)
Goods vehicles
Under a maximum laden weight of 7.5 tonnes
30 (48)
50 (80)
60 (96)
70 (112)
If articulated or towing a trailer limit is (60 (96)
Goods vehicles
Over a maximum laden weight of 7.5 tonnes
30 (48)
40 (64)
50 (80)
60 (96)

Local Maximum Speed Limits

In addition to the national speed limits outlined above there may be locally set speed limits. Locally set speed limits are set by local councils in certain areas such outside schools or on particularly bad roads. These locally set speed limits must be clearly signposted.

Find out about speed limits in your local area

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Speeding Offence Penalties, Fines and Penalty Points

Minimum penalty for speeding (fixed penalty offences)
Fine: £60.00 Penalty Points: 3 points
Maximum penalty for speeding (at magistrates court)
Fine: Band B fine Penalty Points: 6 points
OR
Disqualification: 56 days

The majority of people caught speeding are offered the chance to take a fixed penalty. They may also be eligible to take the speeding awareness course as an alternative to the fixed penalty if certain conditions apply.

The fixed penalty system was introduced by The Transport Act 1982 [2]. It was introduced as a means to speed up the prosecution procedure for certain traffic offences such as exceeding the legal speed limit.

Fixed penalty for speeding: 3 penalty points and a £60 fine

People with a certain amount of penalty points for speeding or other driving offences already on their driving licence may have to appear at a magistrates court court instead as they may be liable to receive a driving ban under the totting up procedure.

Magistrates sentencing guidelines for speeding offences.

Anyone who receives a fixed penalty notice has 28 days to comply with the notice or they will face further penalties and/or prosecution.

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DVLA Speeding Offence Endorsement Codes

CODE DESCRIPTION OF SPEEDING OFFENCE PENALTY POINTS
Speeding Offences (remain on driving licence 4 years from date of offence)
SP10 Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits
3 - 6 Points
SP20 Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles)
3 - 6 Points
SP30 Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road
3 - 6 Points
SP40 Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit
3 - 6 Points
SP50 Exceeding speed limit on a motorway
3 - 6 Points

Endorsements & Penalty Points

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Speeding awareness courses

The national speed awareness scheme offers certain motorists who have been caught speeding an alternative to prosecution. This applies to all speed bands with the exception of 20mph zones.

Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course

The course is designed to educate motorists with the intention of helping them become safer drivers and hopefully avoid exceeding legal speed limits in the future.

Motorists offered the chance to complete a speed awareness course will have the option of paying a fee and completing the course as an alternative to receiving penalty points and a fine (the fixed penalty).

Once a driver has completed a speed awareness course they will not be eligible to receive another speeding awareness course offer if they commit a speeding offence within 3 years of the original speeding offence.

NSAC - National Speed Awareness Course Providers

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FREE Legal Advice
SPEEDING LAWYER

 

Reference

[1] The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

[2] The Transport Act 1982

Resources

NADIP - National Association of Driver Intervention Providers

MAGISTRATES SENTENCING GUIDELINES FOR SPEEDING OFFENCES

SPEEDING

Road Traffic Act 1988, s.2B

Triable only summarily:
Maximum: Level 3 fine (level 4 if motorway)
Must endorse and may disqualify. If no disqualification, impose 3-6 points

Offence seriousness (culpability and harm)
A. Identify the appropriate starting point

Starting points based on first time offender pleading not guilty
Speed limit (mph)
Recorded Speed
20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 50
30
31 - 40
41 - 50
51 - 60
40
41 - 55
56 - 65
66 - 75
50
51 - 65
66 - 75
76 - 85
60
61 - 80
81 - 90
91 - 100
70
71 - 90
91 - 100
101 - 110
Starting Point
Range
Points/disqualification
3 penalty points
4-6 penalty points
OR
Disqualify 7 - 28 days
6 penalty points
OR
Disqualify 7 - 56 days

Offence seriousness (culpability and harm)
B. Consider the effect of aggravating and mitigating factors

Factors indicating higher culpability

1. Poor road or weather conditions
2. LGV, HGV, PSV etc
3. Towing caravan/trailer
4. Carrying passengers of heavy load
5. Driving for hire or reward
6. Evidence of unacceptable standard of driving over and above speed

Factors indicating greater degree of harm

1. Location e.g. near a school
2. High level of traffic or pedestrians in the vicinity

Factor indicating lower culpability

1. Genuine emergency established

Magistrates must:

Form a preliminary view of the appropriate sentence, then consider offender mitigation

Consider a reduction for guilty plea
(ranging from a recommended one third off any sentence imposed)

Consider ancillary orders, including disqualification and deprivation of property

Decide sentence
Give reasons

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For more information on sentencing guidelines, fine bands, sentencing for multiple offences and ancillary orders please visit SGC - Sentencing Guidelines Council, Magistrates Court Sentencing Guidelines [online]. Available from http://www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk. © Crown Copyright 2013.


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