Sentencing Council brings in higher speeding fines

Speeding fines for the most serious cases in England and Wales will rise by up to 50% following a review of sentencing guidelines for magistrates courts. A driver caught doing 41mph in a 20mph zone, or 101mph on a motorway, will face fines of up to 150% of their weekly income. 

The current limit for a speeding fine is 100% of the driver's weekly wage, up to £1,000 - or £2,500 if they are caught on a motorway.  During 2015 some 166,695 people in England and Wales were sentenced for speeding offences and 166,216 were fined. The average fine was £188, but two people were also sent to prison.

When the new guidelines come into force on 24 April, magistrates will be able to increase the fine to 150%, although the upper cash limit will stay the same.

The most serious speeding cases subject to the rise

1. 20mph speed limit; 41mph and above recorded speed of driver
2. 30mph; 51mph +
3. 40mph; 66mph +
4. 50mph; 76-85 +
5. 60mph; 91mph +
6. 70mph; 101mph +

Source: Sentencing Council

The Sentencing Council said the changes were not intended to result in significant differences to current sentencing practice, but to target specific offences. The Sentencing Council held a consultation with magistrates and criminal justice professionals in 2016. The feedback was that current guidelines did not properly take into account the increase in potential harm that can result as speed above the speed limit increases.

Sentencing guidelines must be followed, unless a judge or magistrate feels it is not in the interests of justice to do so. If a judge or magistrate believes that a guideline prevents the correct sentence from being given in an exceptional case, he or she can sentence outside of the guideline.