Speeding drivers face £10,000 fines

Drivers breaking the speed limit could face fines of up to £10,000 under new government proposals.

According to reports, the government is considering plans to quadruple the size of fines magistrates can issue to driver caught speeding.

Sky News reports that maximum penalties for a range of additional ‘level four’ driving offences including drink-driving and driving with defective tyres or brakes could all increase to £10,000.

At the same time, drivers who fail to stop at red traffic lights, or use their mobile phone at the wheel – both of which are known as level 3 offences – could be fined up to £4000, up from £1,000.

The changes would provide magistrates with “greater powers”, Justice Minister Jeremy Wright said. But the proposed maximum fine increases have been criticised by some motoring groups, including the AA.

The organisation’s president Edmund King was quoted in the press as saying: "We wouldn't condone excessive speeding ... but fines have to be proportionate to the offence.

"One has to question whether increasing the fines four-fold is proportionate and it probably isn't."

The proposed legislative changes will be debated in Parliament before coming into force, potentially later this year.

Last year saw a 10% rise in the number of drivers in the UK summoned to court for speeding, resulting in a total of £30m worth of speeding fines.

Data published by LV = car insurance and sourced through a police freedom of information request shows that 62% of drivers caught speeding in 2013 were spotted on fixed speed cameras.

Meanwhile, 22% of motorists breaking the speed limit were caught by camera-wielding police, with 10% nabbed by police without cameras.

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