Every day thousands of drivers are caught speeding on the roads, but not all will receive points on their licences.
For most, it is a moment of unawareness or a distraction that sees them caught for speeding, whether by a speed camera or a police officer.
When you have been caught for severe speeding, you can find yourself slapped with points on your licence and a hefty fine. However, some motorists can go on a speed awareness course and avoid receiving points on their licence.
What is a speed awareness course?
A speed awareness course will be offered to members of the public who have been caught speeding, and it is your choice if you wish to attend it. These courses are offered to motorists by the regional police force, and it is a good option if you want to maintain a clean licence.
The course is designed to be an educational workshop to re-educate drivers regarding speeding. This includes relearning parts of the Highway Code, understanding the consequences, and how to avoid speeding.
The general public has taken the speed awareness course in its stride recently, with 1.9 million drivers taking the course in 2018 instead of accepting three points on their licence.
Whilst the course is not free, and in some instances, it may equate to the same price as the fine, you can maintain a clean licence. This is incredibly useful as if you receive 12 points or more on your licence within three years, you can be disqualified from driving. If you have just passed your driving test and receive six points within your first two years of driving, you can again be disqualified from driving.
What is the speed awareness threshold?
When you are caught speeding, you will be sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution and a Section 172 Notice within 14 days, no matter if you were caught by a speed camera or a police officer.
When taking a speed awareness course, you must fall within a certain threshold to qualify for it. Whilst these vary between each police force, the average minimum speed is 10% over the speed limit plus two mph, and the maximum speed you can go to attend a speed awareness course is 10% over the speed limit plus nine mph. You can see a breakdown of the speeds at which you would be able to attend a speed awareness course below.
Where can I be caught speeding?
You can be caught on any road, no matter the speed limit, and it is common to be caught speeding in larger cities. From providing driving lessons in Birmingham and driving lessons in London and driving lessons in Wembley, we have seen several learners and drivers struggle with the adjusting speed limits. The reason for this is that when you travel in a city, you will see constant adjusting speed limits and if you are not paying attention, you can find yourself driving 40 mph on a 20 mph road.
Our instructor Nikki Bowns, who provides driving lessons in Hartlepool, says, “the best way to avoid speeding is to make sure you are constantly working on your observation. When you are driving, you need to make sure that you are constantly observing all the signs that you encounter on the road.”
What happens on a speed awareness course?
When you attend your course, you will be in a classroom or on a Zoom call with up to 25 people. These workshops will help you develop your driving skills and teach you how to avoid speeding.
The topics that the workshop will cover are:
- Why you were speeding
- The Consequences of your action
- Cover the Highway Code and stopping distances
- Understand the different speed limits and where they apply
- Identifying and avoiding hazards
- Cover defensive driving measures
To pass the course, you must ensure that you stay for the whole session and participate in the discussions.
Once the examiner has passed you, they will inform the police on your behalf, so they are aware that you have completed the course.
