Police speeding crackdown sees 3,000 tickets issued in Warwickshire

More than 3,000 speeding tickets have been issued to drivers in Warwickshire in just two weeks, following a police anti-speeding campaign as more people return to the roads.

Between Monday 25 May and Sunday 7 June officers conducted both static and mobile speed checks around Warwickshire’s towns and villages, collision hotspots, high speed routes and motorways.

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit supported by the Special Constabulary and SNTs, issued 175 Traffic Offence Reports to drivers and a further 94 drivers were given words of advice about their speed.

SNT’s across the county completed 26 separate speed checks.

In the same two week period, static speed cameras in the region recorded a total of 2,689 driver speeding offences on Warwickshire’s roads including motorway variable speed detections.

Officers caught one driver travelling at 109mph on the M40 with no insurance. His vehicle was seized and he was reported to court where magistrates will have the discretion to issue a driving ban or six penalty points on his licence.

Another driver also had his vehicle seized for no insurance and was reported to court after he was caught driving 110mph on the M6.

Other drivers were automatically reported to court for driving offences of 104mph on M40 whilst undertaking, 106mph on A46 and 126mph on A46.

Officers from OPU caught a repeat offender travelling at 41mph in a 30 on one day, who they then caught again travelling at 95mph on the A45.

Although reports of higher speeds attract attention, nationally 49% of speeding offences are committed in areas with designated 30mph speed limits, potentially putting the lives of pedestrians including children at risk.

Inspector Kirsty Clough said: “Throughout the lockdown period police officers have been out conducting speed checks and stopping speeding vehicles across the county to tackle irresponsible and dangerous driving habits.

“In Warwickshire, between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2019, 92 people were killed and 669 seriously injured in collisions where speed or loss of control was recorded as a contributory factor and Warwickshire Police is committed to reducing this number.

“Driving safely within speed limits helps to keep all road users safe and to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads. With some children having returned to school from 1 June and more cyclists, walkers and pedestrians on our roads, this is even more important now.

“Speeding is a choice drivers make and we will continue to target irresponsible drivers who drive above the speed limit.”

Speeding drivers who are eligible for and accept a conditional offer of a fixed penalty receive 3 penalty points and £100 fine.

However excessive high speed offences will not get a conditional offer and will be prosecuted via the courts.

You could be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of 3 years. New drivers who receive 6 or more penalty points within the first two years of driving will have their license revoked.

Those drivers who admit the offence of speeding and are eligible may be offered the opportunity to do an online speed awareness course on the effects and dangers of speeding as an alternative to a speeding fine and penalty points.

The course is not a way to consistently avoid fines however, you can only complete one speed awareness course every three years.

Warwickshire Police also offer a National Motorway Awareness Course and if this is offered only one can be completed every three years.