Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit?The only vehicles that speed limits don’t apply to are those used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes while responding to an emergency.

For everyone else, speed limits are a maximum, not a target, and a lower speed may be more appropriate depending on the road layout, traffic and weather conditions.

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Mandatory speed limit signs are circular. The sign for a maximum speed limit shows black numerals on a white background with a red border.

Minimum speed limit sign Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

You may come across a mandatory minimum speed limit.

At the start, the sign has white numerals on a blue back ground.
At the finish there’s a similar sign crossed through with a red diagonal line.

National speed limits Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

As a general rule, the speed limit is 30mph unless signs say otherwise.

National speed limits for cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual purpose vehicles, indicated by a circular white sign with a diagonal black bar, are:

60mph (50mph if towing) on a single carriageway.
70mph (60mph if towing) on a dual carriageway.

Different national speed limits apply to other categories of vehicle.

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Expect to see the national speed limit sign at the point where a lower limit ends.

The maximum speed limit on motorways is 70mph (60mph if towing) unless signs indicate otherwise.
Variable speed limits apply on some ‘smart’ motorways. The signs indicating these are mandatory speed limit signs but produced by lamps, and when not in use they show a blank grey or black face. Limits are likely to be enforced by cameras.

Local limits Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

Local authorities can set their own limits to address specific local needs. (20mph zones are increasingly common in built-up areas or around a school.) Signs must be clear.

20 mph limits Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

20mph limits can be introduced where there are significant numbers of pedestrians or cyclists.

Successful limits should be self-enforcing through design (traffic calming) and signing rather than having to rely on additional police enforcement though the police may consider targeted enforcement where there is deliberate offending or disregarding and the limits are clear.

In 2013 the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS) introduced a speed awareness course specifically tailored to speeding offences in 20mph limits where, at the discretion of the police, offenders who are either “mistaken or simply unaware of the limit” would benefit from education.

Penalties Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

Speeding offences are enforced by the police using fixed, mobile or average speed cameras and are generally dealt with using the Fixed Penalty Notice system.

The minimum penalty for speeding is generally a £100 fine and three points on your licence.
In some areas, at the discretion of the police, and for more minor speeding offences only you might be offered a speed awareness course.
You’ll not be able to attend a course if you’ve done one within the past 3 years.
The course will cost more than the original fixed penalty but if you complete it, you’ll not get the three points on your licence.

NPCC guidelines for speed limit enforcement Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

The National Police Chiefs Council (formerly ACPO) publish guidelines though police officers can always use discretion.

Limit	Fixed penalty when course not appropriate:	Speed awareness course from:	Speed awareness course to:	Summons in all other cases above:
20mph	24mph	24mph	31mph	35mph
30mph	35mph	35mph	42mph	50mph
40mph	46mph	46mph	53mph	66mph
50mph	57mph	57mph	64mph	76mph
60mph	68mph	68mph	75mph	86mph
70mph	79mph	79mph	86mph	96mph

Penalties for the most severe speeding offences Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

If you get a court summons or end up in court because you don’t accept an offer of a fixed penalty, the magistrate will have to follow sentencing guidelines.

From 24 April 2017 the fines for the most severe cases of speeding increased from 100% of your weekly income to 150%, up to a maximum of £1000, or £2500 if the offence was on a motorway.

Penalties are divided into three bands depending on the offence and any mitigating or aggravating factors.

Band A Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

3 points and a penalty of around 50% (between 25% and 75%) of your weekly income, applies to the lowest level of speeding offence:

21 to 30mph in a 20 limit
31 to 40mph in a 30 limit
41 to 55mph in a 40 limit
51 to 65mph in a 50 limit
61 to 80mph in a 60 limit
71 to 90mph in a 70 limit

Band B Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

4-6 points or 7-28 days disqualification and a penalty of around 100% (between 75% and 125%) of your weekly income, applies to more serious offences:

31 to 40mph in a 20 limit
41 to 50mph in a 30 limit
56 to 65mph in a 40 limit
66 to 75mph in a 50 limit
81 to 90mph in an 60 limit
91 to 100mph in a 70 limit

Band C Are You Aware of Your Driving Speed Limit

6 points or 7-56 days disqualification and a penalty of around 150% (between 125% and 175%) of your weekly income, applies to the most serious offences:

41 and over in a 20 limit
51 and over in a 30 limit
66 and over in a 40 limit
76 and over in a 50 limit
91 and over in a 60 limit
101 and over in a 70 limit

Penalties are likely to be higher for offences:

in bad weather, near schools or in areas where there are pedestrians or high levels of traffic
if you were towing or carrying passengers
if you were driving a lorry, bus or taxi, or driving for hire or reward.

Of course, if you have anymore questions about the Car Leasing Maintenance Packages , we’re more than happy to help. Our friendly and helpful staff are only a phone call away on 028 7122 8822 . Or contact us online here.