Speeding is one of the most common offences that people commit on a regular basis. It only takes a momentary lapse of judgement to be caught by a camera or traffic enforcement officer, and that single moment can have significant ramifications.
While a lot of people don’t challenge their speeding convictions and accept the result, in many cases it can be highly beneficial to seek specialist advice from a solicitor who specialises in motoring offences. Let’s take a closer look at speeding offences, to give you a better understanding of both the offences themselves and how to fight your case.
Speeding offences defined
First, not all speeding or road traffic offences are equal. How serious your specific offence is will depend on several factors, including whether or not you have any related prior convictions, how long you’ve been driving for, and what band your offence falls under.
Speeding bands
Speeding fines come under 6 bands – A, B, C, D, E and F. Depending on the band, you can be fined a different amount, receive a different number of points on your license, and potentially even be disqualified from driving for a different amount of time.
The fine will often be given as a percentage of your weekly wage; while this does make fines fairer for lower-income drivers, it does mean that those who earn more can face potentially massive fines. For band F fines, you can face a fine of between 500% and 700% of your weekly income. No matter how much you earn, that’s going to hurt.
Points
For each speeding offence, you’ll receive a specific number of points which will be applied to your licence. Points will then stay on your licence for between four and 11 years, depending on the severity of the offence. If you get six or more points during your first two years of driving, then your license will be taken away.
If you’ve been driving for more than two years, you can receive up to 12 points before your licence is taken away from you. How and whether you can get your licence back depends on how long you’ve been driving for, and what kind of offence led to your disqualification.
Mitigating circumstances
If you were in fact caught speeding and cannot argue against that fact, magistrates are obliged to take into consideration any potential mitigating factors when considering your case and deciding which fine is most appropriate. Potential circumstantial factors which could encourage leniency might include having a clean driving record, an offender being of good character, and the event having taken place due to a genuine emergency, such as a medical crisis.
A driving offence solicitor will be able to ensure that any mitigating factors relevant to your case are brought to the attention of the magistrate, to ensure that you don’t receive a harsher fine than absolutely necessary.
Contact Ashcott Solicitors for Speeding Defence
If you’ve been charged with a speeding offence, speak to our team on 0161 234 0020 (Manchester) /0203 053 8625 (London) / 07956 555979 (24 hour), or you can also contact us via our contact form.
