speeding fine, speed awareness clash with cancer treatment

vivatifosi

My dad recently picked up his first speeding ticket.

He has been offered the chance to take a speed awareness course, but this has to be taken within 28 days. It is his preferred option.

Unfortunately he is about to start daily radiotherapy treatment, followed by a hospital stay. This makes achieving the above within the timescale impossible.

The penalty notice doesn't appear to give a phone number to call asking whether it is possible to fix an alternate date due to circumstances. It does say that if the course is missed he would need to get a doctor's note, but the dates clash even before booking.

Any ideas on.best way to proceed? Thanks.

lighting_up_the_chalice

If he can't do it, he can't do it. 3 points must be the least of his worries.

vivatifosi

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

If he can't do it, he can't do it. 3 points must be the least of his worries.

Thankfully the prognosis is pretty good, but it is going to be a tough couple of months. If he has to take three points he will, just wanted to check if that's the only option. I think he's also worried about future insurance costs.

londonTiger

you can select the option to do unlimited rebookings for just £3 more. Use that option and just keep changing your booking if it clashes with your treatment.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

The offer has to be accepted within 28 days, the course can be completed within about 4 months or so, as long as they have enough time to take you to court if the course is not done, which is 6 months from the original offence.

loskie

Just book the course within the required period then cancel it with evidence from the Doc.
But don't forget to book and go through at some point.

vivatifosi

Thanks everyone. That sounds manageable.

Spicy_McHaggis

londonTiger wrote: »

you can select the option to do unlimited rebookings for just £3 more. Use that option and just keep changing your booking if it clashes with your treatment.

Really unlimited reebooking. Be careful when following his advice.

Spicy_McHaggis

IanMSpencer wrote: »

The offer has to be accepted within 28 days, the course can be completed within about 4 months or so, as long as they have enough time to take you to court if the course is not done, which is 6 months from the original offence.

It's well within six months, remember if it's not done withing a set period of time from the date if the offence it will go to fpn. The time limit allowa a course to be booked, that part not complied with, a fpn issued and then a further 28 days not to pay it. It would then go to summons. The six months must account for all that to happen so no way is the time for a course 6 months.

Joe_Horner

You need to reply to the offer within 28 days but you have 4 months to complete the course with most (if not all) providers. Conditions for attendance, including time scales, are set by the course providers because speed awareness courses are an extra-judicial disposal so don't have conditions set by parliament.

ACPO guidance is that the police can charge people who don't comply with the conditions with the original offence up to 6 months from the date of the offence, so 4 months is used because it allows time for such charges to be brought. Note that "charging within 6 months" doesn't mean it has to reach court in that time, only that the summons must be issued.

agrinnall

If he has no points at the moment then 3 points for speeding are unlikely to make much difference to his insurance premiums.