The number of drivers charged with speeding offences has reached an eight-year high, reveals a new survey.
In 2022, 236,480 motorists were convicted in court for speeding offences in England and Wales, a 16 per cent increase from the total in 2021 (203,545), says Churchill Motor Insurance.
Last year’s figure represents the most drivers convicted since at least 20142.
In 2022, 319,025 motorists appeared in court for speeding offences, with 236,480 (74 per cent) convicted. For motoring offences, 95 per cent of drivers receiving a fine in 2022. The amount someone is fined depends on the speed limit where the offence took place and how much the driver exceeded this threshold.
It is usually based on a percentage of the driver’s weekly income, up to a maximum of £1,000 (£2,500 if they were driving on a motorway). The average fine for motoring offences decreased from £341 in 2021 to £326 in 2022.
The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points added to your licence. If drivers plead not guilty, having received a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for speeding they must attend court. The overall custody rate for motoring offences was just one per cent, with an average sentence length of 8.3 months.
The research reveals that three in four drivers (74 per cent) convicted for speeding offences were men. Just over half (51 per cent) of drivers convicted were aged between 30 and 50 years old. One in five (20 per cent) drivers convicted were aged between 18 and 29.
Nicholas Mantel, Head of Churchill motor insurance, said: “Speeding is one of the main causes of road accidents and our research suggests that the problem is getting worse. Many drivers accidentally creep above the limit rather than speeding deliberately.
“While most people receive a fixed penalty notice for speeding, more serious or contested cases end up in court. This data shows that drivers who appear in court for speeding are usually convicted, and the fines are deservedly steep.”
The regions that have seen the biggest year-on-year increases in speeding convictions are Nottinghamshire (131 per cent), Gloucestershire (100 per cent), and Leicestershire (92 per cent). Northumbria has seen the biggest decrease in convictions (-22 per cent). London had the most speeding convictions, with 39,107 in 2022.
