Tougher fines for speeding drivers hit the North East

Fines for speeding drivers in the North East are on the up from today.

The most serious cases of drivers breaking the speed limit will see penalties of 150% of our weekly wage, when up until now it has been capped at 100% of weekly earnings.

People caught going just a few miles over the speed limit will still receive the lesser fines, and those of us with clean licenses will still be able to avoid points by completing a speed awareness education course.

But magistrates will have the power to hand down much harsher penalties for drivers caught going well over the limit, as well as speeding in dangerous conditions – such as poor lighting or weather.

Inspector Ed Turner, from Durham and Cleveland police’s Specialist Operations Unit thinks it is a very good idea;

“*If people are still prepared to disregard the law, if it’s a lower fine or lower points, then we’re going to have to hit them somewhere else to make the roads safer for people,

“So if it’s a bigger fine – if you’re driving such an excessive speed – then perhaps you should have your license taken off you, you should pay a bigger fine."*

He explains how the fines will work;

“*The fine will now change, in relation to how excessive your speed is, if it’s just over the speed limit you may be eligible to go on an education, speed awareness course,

“But if it’s well above that, so for example if you’re doing 51 in a 30, you might well find you’ll get a fine.”*

Ed tells us it will catch the most serious rule-breakers; * “This is about targeting persistent, hard-line offenders who are prepared to just flaunt the law and drive excessively.

“I think the government have responded to that by hitting people in the pocket and we’ll find people could be losing their license more readily.”*

The increased fines follow the Government’s move to increase penalties for drivers caught using mobile phones at the wheel, which came into force earlier this year.