Courts in England and Wales are now enacting tougher penalties for drivers violating the rules of the road. In 2015, 244 people were killed in crashes involving speeding in Britain—highlighting the need for greater road safety.
The courts hope these new regulations, which apply to all drivers sentenced on or after 24th April 2017, more accurately reflect the consequences of speeding. The following are the most common road offences affected by these updated regulations:
- Driving without due care and attention. The courts will now take the extent of injuries sustained and the damaged caused into account when deciding on the offence category.
- Driving while disqualified. The courts will now evaluate any evidence of associated bad driving on behalf of the defendant to determine the offence category.
- Driving without insurance. There are now three brackets for sentencing drivers without insurance.
- Category one: six to eight penalty points
- Category two: eight penalty points or disqualification up to six months
- Category three: disqualification between six to 12 months
- The starting fine for speeding is now 25 per cent of one’s weekly income. The most serious speeding offences attract a band C fine, which now amounts to 175 per cent of the defendant’s weekly income.
Even with these changes, the maximum fines allowed by law stay the same. Unless the offence occurs on a motorway—where the limit rises to £2,500—a driver cannot be fined more than £1,000 for speeding.