From April 24, drivers caught speeding will face fines based on a percentage of their weekly income and up to six points on their licence. We’ve collected all the information you need about the new laws below.
Due to a 20% increase in speeding offences between 2013 and 2015, new fines are being enforced to crack down on dangerous driving. Find out how much you could be charged if you’re caught driving over the speed limit.
The new speeding fine bands
Find out how much you’ll be fined if you’re caught speeding – the new fines based on your weekly wage below
| Band | MPH over stated speed limit | Fine (percentage of relevant weekly wage) | Number of points on licence or length of disqualification |
| Band A | 1mph to 10mph | 25-75% | 3 points |
| Band B | 11mph to 20mph | 75-125% | 4-6 points or 7-28 days’ disqualification |
| Band C | Over 21mph | 125-175% | 6 points or 7-56 days’ disqualification |
Depending on where you were caught speeding and how fast you were going over the speed limit, you’ll be placed into one of the above bands.
What you’ll be fined depends on what band you fall into, which will then dictate how much of your weekly income you’ll be charged.
Calculate what you could be charged under the new speeding fine guidelines
Why is the speeding fine law being changed?
With a 20% increase in speeding offences between 2013 – 2015 (with 56,000 offenders in 2015 alone), the need for a crackdown on the upsurge in dangerous driving has been firmly on the radar.
The top speeding hotspots in 2015 were:
| Road | Offenders |
| M6 | 12,442 |
| M25 J5 | 12,330 |
| Scotland Road, Liverpool | 11,760 |
| M6 Toll Road | 10,858 |
| A358 | 10,338 |
What factors could make my speeding offence more severe and increase my fine?
If your are caught speeding, there are a number of factors that could increase your fine:
- Offence committed on licence or post sentence supervision
- Poor road or weather conditions
- Driving LGV, HGV, PSV etc.
- Towing caravan/trailer
- Carrying passengers or heavy load
- Driving for hire or reward
- Evidence of unacceptable standard of driving over and above speed
- Location e.g. near school
- High level of traffic or pedestrians in the vicinity
What about reducing your fine?
If you’re caught speeding, a good character and exemplary conduct could help reduce your penalties according to the Sentencing Council which issues guidelines on sentencing which courts must follow. It also states that making it clear that you’re dealing with a genuine emergency could also be taken into account.
READ MORE
CHECK YOUR CAR INSURANCE, MOT AND CAR TAX IS VALID
REVEALED: SPEED CAMERAS ON UK ROADS – AND HOW THEY WORK
What about new speeding fines for pensioners, jobseekers or those with rich spouses who don’t work?
How does the system of fines work for those who don’t fit neatly into the ‘average wage’ bracket? Read on to find out how various groups could have their fines determined under the new system…
What about people who don’t work but have a ‘wealthy’ spouse
Being a ‘kept’ man or woman shouldn’t let people escape the new hefty guidelines for fines. Those claiming no income, or a very low one, can have the wider household’s income and assets assessed by the court. This should ensure spouses (male or female) of the wealthy won’t escape paying their way.
However, if the offender has an income that is not deemed to be unusually low, the fine will be based on the earnings of the offender alone.
So, the mega-wealthy will pay up too?
Not necessarily, those with a ‘very high income’ are likely to avoid paying such a high percentage of their earnings as drivers with a more modest wage. The guidance states that ‘in most cases’ rather than apply the same rules where up to 175 per cent of a weekly wage can be used to calculate a fine, the mega-rich are likely to be capped at just 75 per cent for a first time offender pleading not guilty.
What about those on benefits
For those offenders whose income is wholly or predominantly from benefits, the ‘wage’ on which fines are based is likely to be set at £120 a week. This will be adjusted when benefits go up or down.
How about pensioners
The fines that retired drivers receive are likely to be based on private or state pensions and any savings.
What about my savings?
Savings won’t normally be taken into account when the offender is working and earns a wage that isn’t unusually low. They may influence the decision on time to pay, though.
However, where the offender has little or no income but substantial savings, the court may consider it appropriate to adjust the amount of the fine to reflect this.
I want the official version of how fines are assessed on an offender’s financial situation
The above section is how we have interpreted the Sentencing Council’s new financial guidelines for speeding fines. You can read the organisation’s official version by clicking here.
See how much you could be fined under new speeding penalty rules
Find out how you could be fined under the new system by checking out the Sentencing Council’s calculator that’s used by magistrates to work out what penalty they might impose on an offender. Simply enter your weekly wages and a few other details relating to the ‘offence’.
Click here to calculate your speeding fine under new guidelines.
Click the image above to see how much you might be fined under new speeding guidance. Image credit: The Sentencing Council