Speeding motorists face £10,000 fines

Speeding motorists could locate themselves slapped with a £10,000 fine as element of a government crackdown on motoring offences.

The proposals just before Parliament would give magistrates the power to hand out heftier fines – but there are query marks more than whether or not this is a genuine attempt to deter drivers from breaking the speed limit or a cynical ploy to quit the appeals procedure.

A real speed trap?

Speed is 1 of the principal aspects in fatal road accidents and, just final month Brake, the road safety charity, named for a dramatic rise in the level of fines issued to motorists who commit the far more common, however no less dangerous, motoring offences of speeding and mobile phone use at the wheel.

And that is specifically what the government has completed by proposing a 4-fold improve in the maximum fines for speeding as nicely as placing up the maximum fine for using a mobile while at the wheel.

The probably government reforms imply magistrates can now issue fines of up to £10,000 to motorists caught speeding on motorways, although fines for breaking the limit on dual carriageways and other roads will increase to a maximum of £4,000, as will the maximum fine for making use of a mobile whilst driving.

It ought to be noted that the normal fixed penalty for speeding will stay £100 plus 3 penalty points. You’re only going to be hit with a larger fine if you discover your self located guilty in court.

Unlimited fines

For the first time ever, magistrates will also have the power to impose unlimited fines for a lot more critical ‘level 5’ offences such as careless driving or driving with out insurance.

Jeremy Wright justice minister , stated: “Financial penalties set at the right level can be an powerful way of punishing criminals and deterring them from further offending. Magistrates are the cornerstone of our justice method and these changes will offer them with greater powers to deal with the day-to-day offences that effect their neighborhood communities.”

But are these penalties set at the right level to deter offenders or to deter the appeals method?

A way to repeal motorists’ appeals?

As noted, beneath the present rules, a common speeding allegation can be dealt with by a fixed penalty notice of a £100 fine and 3 penalty points on your licence.

All motorists have the proper to appeal against the fixed penalty notice, but a failed appeal will see the fine enhance to £1,000, or £2,500 if caught speeding on a motorway, and the quantity of penalty points double to 6.

And it’s reasonable to assume that this would act as adequate of a deterrent to any spurious appeals and appears fairly in proportion to the crime committed – speeding offences have been in decline for a number of years, and the newest Department for Transport figures show the number of fatal or critical accidents on significant roads (motorways and A roads) fell by 7% in 2013, and by 4% on minor roads.

On roads with speed limits more than 40mph in non-built up places fatal accidents fell by 6% and on roads with speed limits up to and like 40mph in constructed up areas they fell by 5%.

Money maker?

So given that the number of fatal and significant accidents is on the decline, is this an ill-timed move from the government, or is it a way of bringing in more funds from motorists?

It is simple to be cynical when you think about magistrate fines collected (for all offences) at the finish of 2012/13 reached a record high of £284 million and continued to improve during the last financial year.

One thing’s for positive, it will certainly place the brakes on the appeals procedure. Who in their correct thoughts will appeal against a fixed penalty notice, no matter how convinced they are of their own innocence, if it could end in a £10,000 fine?

And even though those who break the law need to have to bear in mind the consequences of their actions, the level of punishment also has to match the crime.

What do you consider? Do we want the larger fines to deter speeding motorists? Or are these new fines a way to deter the appeals process? Let us know…

Speeding motorists face £10,000 fines