The Student Room Group

First speeding ticket

So, after five years of diligently observing my speedometer for five years, it appears I've contravened the speed limit and have a notice through the post this morning.

I was doing 37mph in a 30 and I have no recollection of what speed I was doing and it's likely I may not have caught the camera sign (it was a sunny day lol) but I assumed there was a percentage of leeway given to when drivers go slightly over the limit in an area, have I breached that?

Is it going to be a fixed penalty notice (how much?) and or a speed awareness course?

Thanks
Reply 1
Original post by Aky786UK
So, after five years of diligently observing my speedometer for five years, it appears I've contravened the speed limit and have a notice through the post this morning.

I was doing 37mph in a 30 and I have no recollection of what speed I was doing and it's likely I may not have caught the camera sign (it was a sunny day lol) but I assumed there was a percentage of leeway given to when drivers go slightly over the limit in an area, have I breached that?

Is it going to be a fixed penalty notice (how much?) and or a speed awareness course?

Thanks

Generally, the given grace is 10% of the posted speed limit plus 2 so in your situation it would be 35mph so unfortunately it is likely you have breached the grace.
Likely going to be a £100 fine and 3 points or they might offer you a speed awareness course to take instead of the points.
Reply 2
If there is a regular pattern of street lights, the limit is 30 unless otherwise indicated…..30 signs are not required.
Enforcement normally starts at limit + 10% +2, but can start at limit +1.
If it’s your first offence, you may rpt MAY be offered a speed awareness course….costs about the same as the £100 fine, but comes without the 3 points on your licence.
Reply 3
Hmm.. hope the first offence and exceeding the limit by 2mph hopefully helps in my favour.

I've got an online link once I confirm it was me how long does it take to get notification of the punishment?
Reply 4
Original post by Aky786UK
Hmm.. hope the first offence and exceeding the limit by 2mph hopefully helps in my favour.

I've got an online link once I confirm it was me how long does it take to get notification of the punishment?

You didn't exceed the limit by 2mph -- you exceeded it by 7mph.

As has been noted above, the general guidance is to allow 10% plus 2mph (i.e. 35mph in a 30 area), but it's at the discretion of the police as to whether to follow the 10%+2 guidance, or to apply the limit strictly. You can be punished for 1mph over the limit if that's what is decided.

I'm not sure what the timescales would be for finding out what will happen. Presumably at this stage you've just been asked to provide information as to who was driving the vehicle.

It's quite possible that you'll be offered a speed awareness course. If you're given the option, I would recommend that you take it. Financially, the cost will be similar to the fine you would receive for a prosecution, but you won't get points on your licence.

You should check your car insurance policy to see whether/when you need to notify your insurance company. You might need to do it immediately, or you might just need to declare it on renewal of your policy -- and that may apply irrespective of whether you get prosecuted or take a speed awareness course.

You say in your first post "it's likely I may not have caught the camera sign". There's no requirement, as far as I'm aware, for there to be speed camera warning signs.
Reply 5
So, I responded late last week and got the options (speeding awareness course/fixed penalty/court) and of course I will be doing the course. Are these courses online? I'm sure my brother did one of them virtually around 12-18 months ago.
Reply 6
If you have received the letter, the letter outlines the options of a a speed awareness course or the fixed penalty and all the info will be within it - it will tell you about the options to do the courses online?

They can offer you an option either by way of a virtual online course or physically attending a course in a classroom for 4 hours.

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