The well known Freedom of Information Act has now been able to show the true speeds reached by the drivers of this country in new data released recently.
The public are often only aware of those cases that appear in the news and the higher speeds recorded have often escaped the public glare.
The highest speed confirmed within the last year stands at 149 miles per hour with the driver being caught on the M25 by the all too common speed camera. This person was not the only serious offender and in fact the figures go on to evidence that others were caught speeding at nearly 90 mph on urban 30 mile speed limit roads and in one case directly outside a primary school.
The current sentencing guidelines which are issued to Magistrates for speeding include a fine plus six penalty points or disqualification for between 7 and 56 days for motorists who drive at 101mph and 110mph on a 70mph road; at between 76mph and 85 mph on a 50mph road; or at between 51mph and 60mph in a 30mph zone.
However, the more serious offences of speed can in fact be charged as Dangerous Driving which can be heard in the Crown Court. The penalties for these speeding offences are grave and we all take our licences for granted on a daily basis, perhaps these new speeding figures will make a good number of us think twice.
By Martyn Walsh, Associate solicitor in the driving offences team
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