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Stricter fines for speeding drivers kick in

By / 7 years ago / Latest News / 1 Comment

Drivers in England and Wales caught speeding excessively will now face higher under new sentencing guidelines.

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The new sentencing guidelines set out that fines for excessively speeding motorists will start from 150% of their weekly income rather than the existing level of 100%.

The new guidelines – introduced following consultation – introduce a new higher penalty – ‘Band C’ – which means that fines for convicted motorists will start from 150% of their weekly income rather than the existing level of 100%.

Examples include motorists driving above 51mph in a 30mph limit and 101mph or faster in a 70mph zone.

The Sentencing Council said the move aims to ensure there is a “clear increase in fine level as the seriousness of offending increases”.

Jonathan Nolan, general manager at leasing firm UK Carline Limited, warned that both company car drivers and their fleet managers need to take the new guidelines seriously, saying: “Speeding drivers will certainly feel the pain from the larger fines set out in the new guidelines. However, it’s also likely that you may also receive an additional bill for administration costs with each offence for your leased cars if your vehicles are registered to a leasing company as they redirect or recharge a speeding ticket to you.”

He also advised fleets to make sure the company fleet policy clearly states that speed limits should not be exceeded and that speeding offences, especially those leading to a disqualification, will be treated as misconduct and result in the instigation of disciplinary procedures.

Nolan added: “You should plan regular checks of your employees’ driving licence for endorsements and I’d certainly recommend increasing the frequency of checks for those drivers who have collected nine points or more.

“It’s really important that drivers plan their journeys sensibly so that they aren’t under pressure to speed to make appointments. We also advise that drivers adhere to reasonable driving hours and take regular breaks and make allowances for this when planning journeys.”

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Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.