Speeding fines to rise for most serious cases
Discussion
Speeding fines to rise for most serious cases - Sentencing Council
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38724301
Speeding fines for the most serious cases in England and Wales will rise by up to 50% after a review of sentencing guidelines for magistrates' courts.
A driver caught doing 41mph in a 20mph zone, or 101mph on a motorway, could be fined 150% of their weekly income.
Of course. People speed because the fine is affordable. So let's put it up then, that'll stop em!!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38724301
Speeding fines for the most serious cases in England and Wales will rise by up to 50% after a review of sentencing guidelines for magistrates' courts.
A driver caught doing 41mph in a 20mph zone, or 101mph on a motorway, could be fined 150% of their weekly income.
Of course. People speed because the fine is affordable. So let's put it up then, that'll stop em!!!
Two things about this I don't really get.
The max fine for speeding on motorways is £2500 despite the agreed wisdom that motorways are the safest roads.
The max fine of £1000 hits the low paid the hardest. Someone on say, £400 a week is fined £600, the full 1.5 time income. Someone on £1500 a week isn't fined even a weeks wages.
The max fine for speeding on motorways is £2500 despite the agreed wisdom that motorways are the safest roads.
The max fine of £1000 hits the low paid the hardest. Someone on say, £400 a week is fined £600, the full 1.5 time income. Someone on £1500 a week isn't fined even a weeks wages.
Pfff...
I got done for speed.. I got 6 points and a weeks fine @ 96mph... two guys who went up before the magistrate doing well over 100mph (one over 120mph) got the same 6 points and weeks fine.
If I learnt anything, it was that I simply wasn't going fast enough.. I was 1mph over the fixed penalty (3 points) threshold, even though the magistrates took into account the roads were clear and conditions were 'good' on a dual carriageway (rather than a single lane road like one of the previous guys!) I was not given the suggested 4 points, but 6! It gave out the message that if you are going to exceed the limit, you may as well go for it because magistrates don't seem to use any discretion, simply they hand out the harshest sentence within their power. Its probably a nice power trip for them. They also seem to massively favour points over a short-term ban simply because you are then driving cautiously for the next 3 years trying not to get another 6 points and automatic ban.
But on a serious note - 1 week's worth of salary was enough of a deterrent tbh, but the problem is, its only a deterrent once you are caught , and at that point it may as well be 50% of your weeks salary, because the experience of going to court is horrific enough (for any normal person). So I agree, upping it won't make a difference.
I got done for speed.. I got 6 points and a weeks fine @ 96mph... two guys who went up before the magistrate doing well over 100mph (one over 120mph) got the same 6 points and weeks fine.
If I learnt anything, it was that I simply wasn't going fast enough.. I was 1mph over the fixed penalty (3 points) threshold, even though the magistrates took into account the roads were clear and conditions were 'good' on a dual carriageway (rather than a single lane road like one of the previous guys!) I was not given the suggested 4 points, but 6! It gave out the message that if you are going to exceed the limit, you may as well go for it because magistrates don't seem to use any discretion, simply they hand out the harshest sentence within their power. Its probably a nice power trip for them. They also seem to massively favour points over a short-term ban simply because you are then driving cautiously for the next 3 years trying not to get another 6 points and automatic ban.
But on a serious note - 1 week's worth of salary was enough of a deterrent tbh, but the problem is, its only a deterrent once you are caught , and at that point it may as well be 50% of your weeks salary, because the experience of going to court is horrific enough (for any normal person). So I agree, upping it won't make a difference.
tejr said:
If I learnt anything, it was that I simply wasn't going fast enough.. I was 1mph over the fixed penalty (3 points) threshold, even though the magistrates took into account the roads were clear and conditions were 'good' on a dual carriageway (rather than a single lane road like one of the previous guys!) I was not given the suggested 4 points, but 6! It gave out the message that if you are going to exceed the limit, you may as well go for it because magistrates don't seem to use any discretion, simply they hand out the harshest sentence within their power.
That's magistrates for you, justice by the yard unless you get a stipe.They probably think they're doing a good job between blue rinses and toupé fittings.
In force: 24th April 2017.
The maximum fine will not be increased. £2500 for a motorway. £1000 for any other road.
The guideline is changing for the highest category of speed. Interestingly, the new guideline is applicable to offenders irrespective of plea or previous convictions.
http://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/item/...
Also note that this is expressly put in the new guideline:
"Where an offender is driving grossly in excess of the speed limit the court should consider a disqualification in excess of 56 days."
That's not a change per se, but interesting that they've decided it should be included.
The maximum fine will not be increased. £2500 for a motorway. £1000 for any other road.
The guideline is changing for the highest category of speed. Interestingly, the new guideline is applicable to offenders irrespective of plea or previous convictions.
http://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/item/...
Also note that this is expressly put in the new guideline:
"Where an offender is driving grossly in excess of the speed limit the court should consider a disqualification in excess of 56 days."
That's not a change per se, but interesting that they've decided it should be included.
Edited by agtlaw on Tuesday 24th January 12:48
55palfers said:
Two things about this I don't really get.
The max fine for speeding on motorways is £2500 despite the agreed wisdom that motorways are the safest roads.
The max fine of £1000 hits the low paid the hardest. Someone on say, £400 a week is fined £600, the full 1.5 time income. Someone on £1500 a week isn't fined even a weeks wages.
Agree with both of those points. Perhaps rather than salary, we could be creative and relate the fine to the original list price of the car, corrected for inflation if it's over a certain age. 5% of your £12k supermini is £600, whereas 5% for your supercar is £5k+, and you definitely don't want to take the piss in a Chiron. Or just have bands for particular types of car - £500 for a supermini driver, £750 for a rep-mobile, etc. There are a couple of potential flaws that would need to be worked out by people smarter than me, but it is likely to be a bit fairer.The max fine for speeding on motorways is £2500 despite the agreed wisdom that motorways are the safest roads.
The max fine of £1000 hits the low paid the hardest. Someone on say, £400 a week is fined £600, the full 1.5 time income. Someone on £1500 a week isn't fined even a weeks wages.
Amazing
So someone could potentially loose their home for going too fast... Because the fine to some will be huge and lets face it any 2 litre turbo hatchback will easily break 100mph by running it through a couple of gears for fun.
How the f
k do people not end up getting murdered for these sorts of decisions?
So someone could potentially loose their home for going too fast... Because the fine to some will be huge and lets face it any 2 litre turbo hatchback will easily break 100mph by running it through a couple of gears for fun.
How the f
k do people not end up getting murdered for these sorts of decisions?spikyone said:
Perhaps rather than salary, we could be creative and relate the fine to the original list price of the car, corrected for inflation if it's over a certain age. 5% of your £12k supermini is £600, whereas 5% for your supercar is £5k+, and you definitely don't want to take the piss in a Chiron. Or just have bands for particular types of car - £500 for a supermini driver, £750 for a rep-mobile, etc. There are a couple of potential flaws that would need to be worked out by people smarter than me, but it is likely to be a bit fairer.
Sorry but just don't agree with that! We all have different priorities in terms of where and how we spend our money and just because Driver A chooses to spend more of their disposable income on a car than Driver B doesn't mean they're better off overall and therefore able to pay a larger fine. Personally I don't really agree with means related fines for speeding but if you're going down that route relating them to income would seem the fairest way to me (arguably without a cap if you want to punish more wealthy drivers in proportionally the same way as those who are less well off).
RobinOakapple said:
I think it's time this whole sick farce of speeding fines and speed limits was put an end to. The only reason for limits and fines is money, pure and simple. Drivers should be left the fk alone to make their own decisions about speed. Anybody with a decent car especially.
Not sure if Poe or not?k alone to make their own decisions about speed. Anybody with a decent car especially.
esxste said:
Eh. I'm mixed on this.
I like going fast, and I hate slow drivers.
But.
I think 100mph is too fast for most roads in the UK; even motorways. If you want to do that sort of speed, go to a track where if you fk up, its just you at risk.
I'm with you. I live in Switzerland, where some of the speeds being describe would not just give you a salary based fine (think months' wages) but also a spell in prison. I like going fast, and I hate slow drivers.
But.
I think 100mph is too fast for most roads in the UK; even motorways. If you want to do that sort of speed, go to a track where if you f
k up, its just you at risk. Without considering inappropriate lowering of speed limits- which I agree has been creeping in- something like 41 mph in a 20 mph zone is taking the piss, and is too fast- there's a time and a place to go quickly, where conditions allow, as I think most of us on here would accept.
This is the problem with speeding fines https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.0620151,0.021529...
The whole area is 40 mph limited not just this.
What is the new fine for being caught at 60 mph on this?
The whole area is 40 mph limited not just this.
What is the new fine for being caught at 60 mph on this?
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