You will be issued a speeding ticket if you get caught exceeding the speed limit while driving. Evidence for a speeding offence can be based on photographs from a stationary speed camera, a handheld speed camera, or a laser device, video from a mobile camera or a SPECS camera, or even based on evidence from two expert eyewitnesses, usually police officers.
The severity of a speeding offence depends on how fast you travel about the legal speed limit on the road. If you are speeding on a regular route, you will receive between 3 and 6 penalty points and a fine of up to £1000. This offence is also subject to discretionary disqualification. You will most likely receive a driving ban if you travel at 30mph or more over the speed limit.
If you are caught speeding on a motorway, you will receive between 3 and 6 penalty points and a fine of up to £2500. If you are driving at 100mph or more, you will most likely receive a ban.
Speeding is considered an “absolute offence, ” meaning that you will automatically be found guilty unless you can prove that the evidence against you is faulty. In many instances, when issuing speeding tickets, the police officer will give you the option of accepting a fixed penalty, which will most likely be lower than if you refuse to admit guilt and pursue the matter in a court of law.
Before you can be prosecuted for speeding, you must be issued an NIP (Notice of Intended Prosecution) either verbally by the police officer who stopped you or via post as part of the notification that a speed camera caught you. You then have 28 days to identify the car’s driver. In all likelihood, you will be offered the option of a fixed penalty if you do not want to refute the charge in court.
If you are facing a ban or have been caught by a speed camera and believe you have been wrongly accused, you should seek specialist advice from a UK solicitor. If you have been given a speeding ticket and you admit that you are guilty, you may still be able to argue that there are mitigating circumstances which should lead to a reduced penalty.