58 in a 50 but no Driver Awareness Course offered
Discussion
My 19 year old daughter has managed to drive past a fixed speed camera at 58 mph in a 50 limit in Dorset.
As it was only just above the threshold for prosecution, I told her not to worry as she would almost certainly be offered a DAC. On the form she returned to Dorset Police, she ticked the box requesting the option to take the course.
However, despite meeting all the eligibility criteria for a DAC she has just received an offer of 3 points and £100 fine. Is this likely to be an administrative error or is it just a random process as to who gets a course and who gets points?
Is it worth her while contacting Dorset Police to request a course? I suspect it would probably fall on deaf ears but maybe there's a slim chance? My feeling is that as an inexperienced driver she would benefit far more from a DAC than simply receiving 3 points for a fairly minor driving error.
As it was only just above the threshold for prosecution, I told her not to worry as she would almost certainly be offered a DAC. On the form she returned to Dorset Police, she ticked the box requesting the option to take the course.
However, despite meeting all the eligibility criteria for a DAC she has just received an offer of 3 points and £100 fine. Is this likely to be an administrative error or is it just a random process as to who gets a course and who gets points?
Is it worth her while contacting Dorset Police to request a course? I suspect it would probably fall on deaf ears but maybe there's a slim chance? My feeling is that as an inexperienced driver she would benefit far more from a DAC than simply receiving 3 points for a fairly minor driving error.
From Dorset Police site
The police will consider the following grounds when assessing your eligibility for the driver awareness course:
your speed narrowly exceeded the limit and falls within the guidelines set out by the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) up to:
31 mph in a 20 mph area
42 mph in a 30 mph area
53 mph in a 40 mph area
64 mph in a 50 mph area
75 mph in a 60 mph area
86 mph in a 70 mph area
you haven’t already completed a course within three years or are booked on an upcoming course
The police will consider the following grounds when assessing your eligibility for the driver awareness course:
your speed narrowly exceeded the limit and falls within the guidelines set out by the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) up to:
31 mph in a 20 mph area
42 mph in a 30 mph area
53 mph in a 40 mph area
64 mph in a 50 mph area
75 mph in a 60 mph area
86 mph in a 70 mph area
you haven’t already completed a course within three years or are booked on an upcoming course
harry miller said:
Thanks, I've looked at the Dorset Police site.
She meets all the eligibility criteria so I am none the wiser as to why no course was offered.
Doesn't matter if you think she is eligible, they say they will 'consider' it, and those limits posted above are 'up to'.She meets all the eligibility criteria so I am none the wiser as to why no course was offered.
They aren't obliged to offer anything.
harry miller said:
vonhosen said:
Has she completed a previous course (or is already booked on another) without telling you about it?
No she hasn't. I'm the registered keeper of the car she drives so the first letter comes to me. I would know.How long is it since the offence happened? They like the course to be completed witin 4 months of the offence so that if she doesn't turn up or has the "wrong attitude" on the course they can still start court proceedings.
As already said though, it would do no harm for her to call them and ask why she hasn't been offered a course.
As already said though, it would do no harm for her to call them and ask why she hasn't been offered a course.
QuickQuack said:
You wouldn't, if her first offence was in a car registered in somebody else's name than yours, maybe a friend's...
Very very unlikely. She didn't know about Driver Awareness Courses so I really am certain she has not done one before. I trust her ... on this matter at least! douglasb said:
How long is it since the offence happened? They like the course to be completed witin 4 months of the offence so that if she doesn't turn up or has the "wrong attitude" on the course they can still start court proceedings.
As already said though, it would do no harm for her to call them and ask why she hasn't been offered a course.
The offence was 30th May.As already said though, it would do no harm for her to call them and ask why she hasn't been offered a course.
I'll suggest to her that she should call them. It's worth a try. I'll let you know how she gets on. Thanks for the help.
harry miller said:
The offence was 30th May.
So what’s been happening between then and now?Someone else mentioned 4 months - I think that’s fixed so she may have run out of time.
My wife got snapped last year in Cheshire for 35 in a 30 - I’m RK but still all the paperwork happened very fast yet there was only the last week of the 4 mth period available to book, and that was an online course.
harry miller said:
The offence was 30th May.
I'll suggest to her that she should call them. It's worth a try. I'll let you know how she gets on. Thanks for the help.
How quickly did you send the paperwork back naming her? How quickly did she reply back saying she was the driver? Did she do it straight away or need to be sent a reminder? Due to the six month limit they have a time frame in which the course has to be completed by. I'll suggest to her that she should call them. It's worth a try. I'll let you know how she gets on. Thanks for the help.
Thanks to everyone who's helped with this.
I got the form back pretty quickly but my daughter didn't receive anything for quite a while. Maybe a month or so. I suspect she did not deal with the matter in a speedy manner, not helped by her being abroad for a few weeks during the summer.
She will call Dorset Police today.
I got the form back pretty quickly but my daughter didn't receive anything for quite a while. Maybe a month or so. I suspect she did not deal with the matter in a speedy manner, not helped by her being abroad for a few weeks during the summer.
She will call Dorset Police today.
martinbiz said:
E-bmw said:
Is she in her first year since passing her test?
I ask because I think that changes things, could be wrong.
No it doesn’t change anything I ask because I think that changes things, could be wrong.
Op's daughter likely only has a 6 point budget before loss.
If you get 6 points in your first 24 months of gaining a license, your license is cancelled (revoked). You'd then have to redo the tests to get a new one.
@Op, how long has daughter had licence?
(there are some stipulations where a kid can get a license in the UK from 16 if disability is involved) but for the typical case a 19-year-old would definitely still be in the new driver period.
(Aside: for spelling Nazis, I have intentionally been inconsistent. Get over yourself.)
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