If you've had points on your driving licence for speeding, you're not alone. Driving too fast, using a mobile phone while driving and not obeying traffic signals are the three most common convictions dished out to motorists, research has found.
According to comparison site Confused.com, nearly three quarters of convicted motorists were pulled for speeding offences, resulting in a minimum of a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence.
But the data also found that seven in 10 drivers managed to escape punishment for offences they had committed, which adds up to 29.1 million motorists missed by local councils.
Read more: Parking tickets: do you have to pay up if you get a fine?
A motoring conviction is where you get a fine and/or points on your licence for committing a motoring offence, for example, drink driving or speeding. The points you get could stay on your licence for four years or more depending on the motoring conviction, and you could be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of three years.
In addition, if you're buying car insurance, the insurer might ask you about any motoring convictions in the last 4-5 years.
According to data by Confused.com, the top five motoring offences for drivers who’ve been convicted were:
- Speeding 72%
- Using a mobile phone/other interactive device 15%
- Traffic signal offence 15%
- Illegal/unauthorised parking 11%
- Moving traffic offence, such as going the wrong way down a one-way street, 11%
In some areas, speed limits have been introduced to reduce emissions. These areas have further monitoring by speed cameras. And in some parts of the UK there’s a 20 mph speed limit in residential areas. These new enforcements could explain why speed limit offences are so high. More than a third of those caught breaking the law had points on their licence (38%) or had to attend a speed awareness course (38%). Around 1 in 10 (11%) drivers were banned from driving as a result of their offence.
The price to pay for vehicle offences is high too. More than half (53%) were fined. Nearly one in four (23%) had a fixed penalty notice. And just over half (51%) have been charged for breaking the law in the past. Motoring offenders have paid around £191 in fines, on average, as a result, potentially netting the Government more than £5.5 billion for drivers' mistakes.
Around seven in 10 drivers admitted to committing a motoring offence and avoiding conviction. Speeding is again the most common offence, with 51% getting away with breaking limits, and worryingly 12% admitted to not being caught when they were Driving under the influence of alcohol.
The top five are:
- Speeding 51%
- Driving through a red light 21%
- Using a mobile phone/device 19%
- Parking illegally 18%
- Driving under the influence of alcohol 12%
The average cost of a fine for a speeding conviction reaches almost £200 per conviction and fines for offences like speeding or careless driving could cost drivers thousands of pounds.. This costs motorists dearly, especially if drivers are willing to risk and reoffend, as car insurance costs could also increase by £78, on average, following a motoring conviction.
And It seems fines aren’t an effective deterrent for committing a motoring offence. Over one in three (31%) convicted drivers admit to reoffending. And more than three in five (63%) offenders said they weren’t put off committing offences again after being convicted.
Younger drivers' (aged 18-24) insurance costs grew by £117 at renewal if they’d had a motoring conviction. As a result, more than half of young drivers (57%) said they were put off committing a motoring offence in future.
The current penalties for the most common offences are:
Breaking the speed limit
If you’re caught by a speed camera you’re sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution, accompanied by a section 172 notice, asking for details of the driver at the time the offence was committed. After you’ve sent the Section 172 notice back, you’ll be sent either a:
- Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)
- letter telling you to go to court
If you’re stopped by the police they might:
- Give you a verbal warning.
- Issue or send you a Fixed Penalty Notice.
- Order you to go to court. You should get a letter telling you what you’re being prosecuted for.
Using a mobile phone
If you’re caught using a mobile phone while driving you can get:
- 3-6 penalty points
- £200 fine
You can also be taken to court and get a driving ban and a fine of £1,000 or £2,000 if you’re driving a lorry or bus. You can also lose your licence if you’ve passed your test in the last 2 years.
Traffic signal offences
If you’re caught running a red light you could get a fine of £100 and 3 points on your licence.
Illegal/unauthorised parking
You usually don't get penalty points for parking on yellow lines or overstaying in a private car park. But if you’re parked dangerously you could be charged with ‘leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position’. This comes with 3 penalty points for and a fine of up to £1,000.
Moving traffic offences
Moving traffic offences include:
- Incorrectly driving into a bus lane
- Going the wrong way down a one way street
- Illegal U-turns
- Stopping in a yellow box junction
You could get up to 3 penalty points for a moving traffic offence and fines vary. These usually stay on your licence for up to four years.
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