You did not want to be late for your appointment so you drove fast but the digital speed cameras caught you then one day you got a NIP (Notice of Intended Prosecution). If this is your first time getting such notice, here are things you should do:
Learn everything you can about speeding tickets
Before anything, you have to know what will happen if you are caught speeding. There are three potential outcomes if you are caught speeding:
- You will be offered an awareness course.
- You will get FPN (Fixed Penalty Notice) or often known as a speeding ticket. Aside from the ticket, you will also receive a speeding fine and license points.
- If your speed was dangerous and excessive, there is a possibility that you will be summoned to court then prosecuted. If you are found guilty, you will be fined, imposed with license points and driving ban. For this, you need a speeding solicitor.
You must know that by law, anything more than the limit is accountable for a speeding ticket. When it comes to the speeding fine, the minimum is £100 but if you are prosecuted for dangerous and excessive driving, the fine could be between £1000 and £2500.
As for the points, the normal speeding ticket will lead to 3 points on your license. If you drove excessively and dangerously, it could rise to 6 points. Put in mind that if you have 8 or more points on your license, the police will think about prosecuting you and this will mean driving disqualification.
Remember what to do if you get a speeding ticket
When you get a speeding ticket, you should do the following things:
- Complete Section 172: after getting the NIP, you must complete Section 172. This will confirm who was driving at the time of the offence. If you did not drive, you need to return this within 28 days.
- Receive FPN: after this, you should expect to receive a conditional offer of an FPN. This will include a speed awareness course. If not the course, you have to accept the fine and the points.
- Pay by cheque or card: you have 28 days to pay for speeding fine through cheque or card.
- Send driving license: if not speeding fine, you have to accept the points. For this, you need to send your driver’s license. Do not worry because you can get it back within 4 weeks.
- Take speed awareness course: if you are required to take a speed awareness course, you must complete it within 4 months of the offence date. Once you completed the course, the provider will inform the police and then you should expect the speeding matter settled.
Explore ways to get out of a speeding ticket
Bear in mind that if you are caught speeding, there is no defence. With this, the best thing to do is accept the ticket but you can contest if you were not the one driving at that time. You can consider the following ways to get out of a speeding ticket:
- When you were not driving at the time because the car is either sold or stolen, you should respond to the NIP and inform the police. If you know the driver, you should tell.
- If you can prove that the ticket was issued by mistake, you can get out of a speeding offence. You can also contest the ticket if you plead mitigating circumstances like driving someone to the hospital as an emergency.
