Guide to Speeding in the UK

If you think you've been flashed by a speed camera and are worried you will get a speeding fine, this is what happens:

Within 14 days the owner of the speeding vehicle will receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution

There is a section on the NIP for you to complete to say who was the driver. If you do not complete this section, you will be liable to a fine and six penalty points on your licence

If your speed is not too much above the speed limit, the driver will normally be offered a fixed penalty notice - three points on your licence and a £60 fine - see fines & penalties . Sometimes speeding drivers are offered a speed awareness course as an alternative to a fixed penalty notice. Whether these courses are offered is at the discretion of the local police force.

If your speed is above a certain level you will not receive an offer of a fixed penalty fine but instead will receive a summons to attend court.

If you genuinely do not believe you were speeding, you may defend the case- see Common Defences. If you are going to defend the case it may be worth consulting a lawyer experienced in speeding cases.

There are several different types of speed cameras - the common ones are Gatso's which use a film and flash and Truvelo's which use an infra red beam. There are also spex cameras which work out your average speed over a given distance.