Driver Awareness Course

meg00

I have recieved my first speeding fine.

I have been offered the option of a driver awareness course, but have been advised by a friend that some insurerers now ask if you have attended a Driver Retraining Course, so I could end up having the preimium increased as well as the cost of the course.

Any advice?

Meg

Martin_the_Unjust

Get new friends.

Then go on the course

neilmcl

Very, very few insurers ask, in fact I can only think of one, Admiral, and they don't bother anymore.

TooManyPoints

The alternative would be a Fixed Penalty of £100 and three points. The course will cost you about £100 and half a day of your time. So you're trading three points against that half day. As mentioned, few (if any) insurers ask about courses. Even if you gained three points, unless you are a young or new driver it is unlikely to have a significant impact on your premiums. Also bear in mind that three points takes you one step closer to a "totting up" ban. If you accumulate nine points and your next offence involves a speed outside the range where a course might me offered (which is up to Limit+10%+9mph) or if the offence occurs in Scotland (where courses are not offered at all) you'd be stuffed. Of course you may feel you'd like to keep the option of a course (you can only do one of the same type in three years) "under your belt" for that final offence but if it is outside the range then it is of no use to you.

meg00

Thanks for your advice TooMany.

I shall take the course.

Meg.

Biggus_Dickus

My son completed a speed awareness course last June;...it was £90 course fee but no points on his licence. The course takes about 4 hrs;...they are often run in the mornings, afternoon and evening at a number of venues round the UK.

The alternative was a £100 fine and 3-points that he’d have needed to declare to his insurance as it’s a ‘driving offence’.

It’s a no-brainer, imho.

There’s no pass or fail as such but you need to take the course content seriously,...be attentive  and show a positive attitude otherwise it is actually possible to be certified as ‘non-completion’.

My brother attended a speed awareness course several years ago;...there were about 30 people on his course and everyone completed it satisfactorily except for one woman;...apparently she was quite disruptive, didn’t seem to accept any responsibility for her ‘speeding’ and kept making derogatory comments about the police having nothing better to do and other such statements.

The dopey idiot completed the evening course at a cost of £90’ish,... and still  ended up with her original speeding fine and 3-points.

 

 

Johno100

Biggus_Dickus said:
It’s a no-brainer, imho.

I suppose it depends on how valuable half a day of your time is.

Herzlos

Johno100 said:

Biggus_Dickus said:
It’s a no-brainer, imho.

I suppose it depends on how valuable half a day of your time is.

For those whose time is so valuable they can't get a half day off in an evening or weekend, it may be easier to just take the fine, but then that also puts them at 3 points closer to a ban. I dare say the "my time is too valuable" brigade would be even more put out by having a driving ban than having to do a course.

Biggus_Dickus

Johno100 said:

Biggus_Dickus said:
It’s a no-brainer, imho.

I suppose it depends on how valuable half a day of your time is.

I was referring specifically to my sons situation when I said it was a no-brainer.

It’s quite a chunk of time out of anyone’s schedule (in my sons case 4hr course plus 2hrs travel) and I guess there are people who would prefer to take the 3-points and pay the fine.

As the old saying goes “you pays yer money, and you takes yer choice”.

forgotmyname

I think I got mine around 2005/2006?  I took the points, £60 back then i think?  As a lorry driver
taking half a day off was impossible, no option for a weekend/evening course. It would have cost
me more than the fine the additional 3 points to declare.

Normally stayed well within the limits so unlikely to get another, just unlucky on this one as it was
in the roadwork section. They moved the roadworks but not the reduced speed zone. Transport
manager said I should fight it but same again it would have cost me more than paying the £60.

The 3 points made no difference with my Direct Line policy back then.

mobileron

I suggest he goes on a time management course as well.