Are £10,000 speeding fines fair?

Ministers program to give magistrates the energy to impose enormous economic penalties on drivers found guilty of widespread offences. Do these proposals go also far?

The government is thinking about rising the fines that can be set in the magistrates’; court. 

This could mean that potential penalties for offences such as speeding on the motorway are increased to £10,000.

Some fines to rise 4fold

The proposed increase would be the very first because 1991 – but some penalties will boost 4fold.

The fines have previously been set at diverse levels, reflecting their severity. The outlined adjustments are as follows:

• Level 1: includes unauthorised cycle racing on public methods. Up from £200 to £800.


• Level 2: involves driving a motorcycle with out a protective helmet. Up from £500 to £2,000.


• Level 3: involves being drunk and disorderly in a public place. Up from £1,000 to £4,000.


• Level 4: contains speeding on the motorway. Up from £2,500 to £10,000.

The Ministry of Justice reports that magistrate fines collected at the finish of 2012-13 reached a record higher of £284 million and continued to rise in the course of the last monetary year.

Justice Minister Jeremy Wright said that monetary penalties “set at the correct level” would be an effective punishment for offenders.

‘Why such steep rises?’;

Nonetheless Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, inquiries why the proposed increases need to be so steep.

“Men and women who break the law ought to bear the consequences.

“But this appears such a wholesale adjust to the method that you have to ask what was going so badly wrong before?” Glaister stated.

“Ironically, we know that speeding offences have declined over recent years.

“Just last week the Division for Transport confirmed that even right after taking congestion out of the equation, recorded targeted traffic speeds have been dropping for a decade.”

Edmund King, president of the AA, also criticised the changes.

Are far more police the answer?

“For the vast majority of drivers, the prospect of the existing £2,500 fine is a pretty excellent deterrent against excessive speeding on the motorway.

“We would not condone speeding in any way but fines have to be proportionate to the offence.”

King added: “If we had far more cops in vehicles on the motorway, that would be a more successful deterrent.”

A lot of motoring offences are dealt with by a fixed-penalty notice which is an on-the-spot fine. 

Other folks are heard in the magistrates’; courts, either since of the severity of the offence, for example, drink driving, or since a fixed penalty supply was rejected by the motorist and they want to appeal it.

Fines set according to earnings

But does it mean that if identified guilty of speeding on the motorway, a motorist will uncover themselves facing a £10,000 fine that could leave them in debt and take years to spend off?

This is unlikely to take place, as in magistrate’;s courts, the fines are set in line with the offenders’; revenue, and are associated to their ability to spend. 

“These proposals will only effect those who earn high incomes,” stated Jeanette Miller, managing director of motoring law firm Geoffrey Miller Solicitors.

“Offenders with low incomes will not see much of a distinction need to the proposals be implemented.

Tax on the wealthy?

“Taking drink driving as an instance, if a fine is imposed it is usually the equivalent of one-and-a-half weeks of the offender’;s net earnings.

“If an individual does not earn very a lot, they will not be required to spend the maximum fine.”

Miller added that for wealthy men and women, such as expert footballers, a £5,000 fine may possibly not be much of a punishment or deterrent but a £10,000 fine would be taken much more seriously.

She mentioned: “I consider this is a easy way for the government to impose a tax on the wealthier motorist which will not be met with considerably of a challenge from the basic public.

“After all, who desires to save funds for bankers and footballers of this planet?”

Convictions improve car insurance coverage charges

Gemma Stanbury, head of car insurance at Confused.com, stated convicted motorists could face greater automobile insurance coverage expenses as nicely as enhanced court fines.

“Our study has shown that there can be as a lot as a 34% increase in automobile insurance coverage costs for drivers convicted of exceeding the speed limit on a motorway.

“Excessive fines could nicely serve as a deterrent to motorists with a tendency to speed or drive recklessly.”

What do you feel?

Will increased fines for common motoring offences prove to be a deterrant? 

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Are £10,000 speeding fines fair?

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