Speeding ticket
When driving over the speed limit in the UK, drivers are often caught by speed cameras or policemen with speed guns and as a result receive speeding tickets. A speeding ticket more often than not is a Fixed Penalty Notice, or FPN. When a driver receives a speeding ticket in the form of an FPN, it is up to the driver to decide whether or not to accept the FPN. Occasionally however, the speeding ticket is a court summons, in which case the driver has no choice in the matter and must appear in court.
If the speeding ticket is an FPN, it is in fact a conditional offer by which the prosecution offers the driver to resolve the issue if the driver accepts responsibility and the minimum penalty permitted by law. The driver accepts this by paying a £60 fee and submits his or her licence to be endorsed with three penalty points. The driver may also reject the offer, and in doing so the driver states that he or she wishes for the case to go to court. It should be noted that ignoring the FPN could sometimes be deemed as accepting it, so it is important to fully read the speeding ticket even if the driver plans to go to court on the matter.
If you receive a speeding ticket that takes the form of a court summons, it is usually because of the severity of the speeding violation, or the status of your licence. For example, if the speeding is in excess of 30 mph above the speed limit, a speeding ticket in the form of a summons is likely to be issued. Additionally, if you have multiple speeding endorsements on your licence a summons is likely. If you are attending court regarding a speeding ticket it is advisable to at least consult with a solicitor before appearing in said court.
If you would like to obtain legal advice on a speeding ticket, Contact Law can put you in touch with a local criminal / traffic solicitor free of charge. So, if you have any questions or would like our help in finding local criminal / traffic solicitors please call us on 0800 1777 162 or complete the web-form above.
- Last Updated on 02/03/2010
