Quarter of drivers have done speeding course

Drivers’ groups criticise rise in speed awareness classes, as forces rake in millions from scheme

The number of motorists completing speed awareness courses has risen by a third in the past five years, with police forces now collecting more than £50million annually from the schemes. Last year up to 1.2million drivers opted to attend a course rather than accept a fine or penalty points. That was up from 280,000 a decade ago and means a quarter of all drivers have been on a course, which costs between £75 and £99. Police forces can claim up to £45 to cover administration costs.

THE number of motorists completing speed awareness courses has risen by a third in the past five years – effectively boosting police funds by about £50 million a year.

Last year, up to 1.2 million drivers opted to attend a course rather than accept a fine or penalty points on their licence. That was up from 280,000 a decade ago and means a quarter of all British drivers have now been on a speed awareness course at some point.

The four-hour classroom tutorials cost between £75 and £99, depending on where they are held, and police forces are permitted to claim a maximum of £45 from that figure to cover administration costs.

The amount of money the police are allowed to claim was increased in October 2017, and comes at a time when all forces are having to cope with shrinking budgets.

In 2011, about 1.5million drivers were caught speeding, with 19 per cent opting to attend a speed awareness course. But by 2017 that figure had increased to two million drivers, with 50 per cent choosing a course over points and a minimum fine of £100.

It means that last year, police forces around the country pulled in approximately £54million from the schemes.

Forces are not supposed to profit from the initiative, but campaigners claim the huge rise in the number of people attending is evidence of the clear financial incentive for the police to funnel speeders towards them.

A spokesman for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “More drivers are attending these courses as an alternative to prosecution. The course aims to educate motorists to improve their knowledge and behaviour whilst on the road, and is designed to contribute to reducing deaths and casualties.

“These courses are offered to people who commit low-level traffic offences.

“Police forces do not make money from the courses; they only receive processing costs.”

But Hugh Bladon, of the Alliance of British Drivers, said: “There is obviously an incentive for the motorist who does not want to get points, but there is clearly an incentive for the police forces, and that is to make money.”

Claire Armstrong, of the Safe Speed campaign group, also questioned whether the speed awareness courses, which are held at centres all over the country, did anything to improve road safety.

She said: “Speed cameras are the lazy option for the police and there is no evidence that they are making the roads any less dangerous.

“People who have been on these courses often become so fixated with keeping to the speed limit that they spend all their time looking at the their speedometer and not concentrating on what is around them.

“Speed is only a factor in a tiny number of accidents but little is being done to address the other more dangerous issues. These courses prioritise the protection of a driving licence over the protection of people and property.”