Speeding fines rise to 175pc of weekly wages from Monday

Amelia Murray 21 April 2017 • 1:19pm

Speeding cameras — The most serious offenders will have to pay a fine of up to 175pc of their weekly income Credit: PA

Drivers caught speeding will face tougher penalties of up to 175pc of their weekly income under new rules introduced on Monday.

Fines for serious offenders will start from 150pc of their weekly income rather than the current level of 100pc.

The fines are split into bands from A to C. The penalty depends on how fast motorists are driving above the speed limit.

A chart showing the bands of speeding fines — The speeding fines are banded depending on how fast you are going and what the limit is Credit: Sentencing Council

For example, a Band A fine is for drivers going more than one to 10mph too fast in a 20mph zone or 20mph too fast in a 70mph zone.

The more serious Band B and C fines would be applied to those pushing the speed limit further. The fines for less serious speeding offences are not changing.

What are the fines?

All of the bands have a starting limit, which is a percentage of your weekly income. However, this can be increased or decreased depending on the circumstances, which are explained below.

The starting point for a Band A fine is 50pc of weekly income but this could vary between 25pc and 75pc. For Band B offences fines vary between 75pc and 125pc.

The most serious offenders who are hit with a Band C fine will be charged 150pc of their relevant weekly income, which could rise to 175pc or fall to 125pc.

The fine is capped at £1,000, or £2,500 if you're caught speeding on the motorway. The charges are calculated based on your income after tax and national insurance deductions.

Factors the increase the seriousness

The guidelines state that previous convictions, their relevance to the current offence, and how long ago they happened will be taken into account when deciding the fine.

A motorway — Speeding fines are capped at £1,000 or £2,500 if the offence is committed on a motorway Credit: PA

Other considerations that increase the seriousness of the offence include speeding on "poor roads" or in bad weather conditions, or if drivers are going too fast near a school, or when carrying passengers or a heavy load.

Other factors considered include speeding in high traffic or when there are lots of pedestrians around, if you're being paid to drive, or if you're towing a caravan or trailer.

Mitigating factors

Offenders with no previous convictions or those that are irrelevant or old could mean drivers get a lesser fine.

Other factors that will reduce the fine is if you can prove you are of good character or if there was a genuine emergency that meant you had to speed.