Speeding makes up around 80% of all motoring offences and more than a third of motorists say they have been caught driving over the limit. With people living busy lives, and roads becoming more congested, speeding is on the rise – and so is the number of speeding fines being issued. Up to 10% of people who receive a speeding fine or Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty Notice ignore it and hope it will go away, but unfortunately, that is the worst course of action. Use our guide to help you after you’ve been caught speeding.

What happens if you get caught speeding by a police officer or get caught by a speed camera? 

Contrary to popular belief, there is not a 10% leeway allowed over the speed limit. Although guidance from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) recommends giving drivers a so-called ‘10% plus 2’ leeway, this is more to guide police officers in their discretion when issuing tickets, rather than a hard and fast rule. A speeding ticket can be issued even if you are going as little as 1mp/h over the speed limit.

If you got caught speeding by a police officer, you will most likely receive a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), or if you were caught with a camera you will be posted a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) to verify your details before you receive an FPN in the post. Depending on the severity of the offence and depending on whether you believe you are guilty or innocent of the charge decides the penalty and your course of action. 

If you believe you are guilty, you can accept the FPN and pay your fine and take whatever points are issued against your licence, or in some cases, you can attend a speed awareness course instead of receiving points on your licence.

For more serious offences you may need to appear in court.  This includes offences such as:

• Driving recklessly near a school
• Driving a heavy goods vehicle over the speed limit
• If you were going more than 11mp/h over the legal speed limit

In some cases, however, you may also get away with nothing more than a verbal warning and if this happens there is nothing else you need to do except follow the warning and reduce your speed

How much will I have to pay if I get caught speeding and how many points will I get on my licence?

Speeding Penalties are based on the speed over the limit that you are caught going at. Police have broken this down into three categories, or bands, with each band receiving its own penalty as shown in the table below:

The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points on your licence (unless you are eligible to attend a speed awareness course, which will still require the payment of a fine in addition to attendance). The maximum penalty issued for speeding is £1,000, or £2,500 for speeding on the motorway. The maximum number of points on your licence is 6, however, you could also face disqualification or a driving suspension.

You could also be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of 3 years.

There are also bands D, E, and F which are more severe and are issued when drivers

• have prior convictions
• commit the offence while on bail
• drive recklessly in poor road and weather conditions
• are driving a large vehicle, towing a caravan or trailer, or carrying passengers or a heavy load 
• are driving for hire

How can I avoid getting points on my licence?

If you believe you are innocent, then you can go to court to contest the charge. You have 28 days after receiving the FPN to decide if you want to contest the charge. Be careful doing this though as refusing the FPN means you refuse the penalty and the court can issue a more severe fine if they think it is appropriate.

You may want to contest the charge if you were:

• Not speeding
• Not driving at the time of the offence
• Not notified of the speed limit
• Not in the vehicle because it was stolen or not yours

Some local police forces accept informal appeals in the form of a letter detailing why you believe you are innocent. If your local police force does not do this, then you will need to request a formal court hearing.

If you have not been convicted of speeding in the last three years and you were driving within band A then you may be offered a Speed Awareness Course. If you choose to take this offer then you will not receive any points on your licence, however you will need to pay the fine and the cost of the course and you may need to take a day off work to attend the course.

What happens if I have to go to court or want to contend the charge?

If you choose to refuse the FPN or if you are required to go to court then you should contact a legal expert immediately to advise you on your best way forward. They will help you to complete and return a plea and mitigation form. You can plead innocent, plead guilty, or plead guilty with mitigating circumstances. Your lawyers will also be able to help you with all court proceedings such as gathering any necessary evidence or witnesses.

Call us for a free initial consultation

Or we can call you back at a time of your choice

If you got caught by a speed camera on any road in the UK, contact Caddick Davies by phone or email. You can call us on 0151 280 3346, email us, or request a callback via our website. We will provide you with a free initial no-obligation consultation to evaluate your case and offer an honest appraisal.

Should we decide to take on your speeding offence case, we will work expertly and with dedicated legal care to find the most favourable outcome for your case.