Smith Partnership high-light new speeding penalties

Smith Partnership, one of largest firms of solicitors in the East Midlands, is informing the public of the new higher vehicle speeding penalties which will come into force today.

The Criminal Law Team at Smith Partnership wants drivers in the Midlands to appreciate that if they commit a serious speeding offence they will face more severe penalties. The starting point will be 150 percent of a person's weekly income! This is an increase of 50 percent.

For example, a driver caught doing 41mph or above in a 20mph zone, or 101mph on a motorway could receive the 150 percent fine.

The maximum fine will increase from £1,000 to £2,500.

Kevin McGrath, Partner, from the Criminal Law Team at Smith Partnership spoke about how the penalties will be calculated: "My team feels it is important to raise awareness of the new speeding penalties that are coming into force next week, as such changes in law can often get missed in the busy media pages."

Speeding fines are in categories — a Band A fine is 50 percent of weekly income, Band B is 100 percent and Band C is 150 percent. These depend on how far in excess of the limit the motorist is driving. Motorists facing a Band C fine could even see a fine of 175 percent of their income.

The changes were part of a 2016 consultation which argued that previous guidelines did not properly take into account the risks posed to the public.

The harsher penalties aim to reduce the amount of speeding incidents in the UK and to help ensure sentences are applied consistently and effectively.

If you’d like to find out more about the legal services offered by Smith Partnership, don’t hesitate to contact us via info@smithpartnership.co.uk. Alternatively, speak to a member of our team directly on 0330 123 1229.