is there a criteria of who gets to go on speed awareness course or gets points?

shaggy

I know that you can't take speed awareness courses if you have been on one within past two years, but is there any other criteria? Do new drivers generally get the option?

k3lvc

Not sure whether there is yet a national criteria but here's the one from the Met that seems to tie in with my local force

Speeds specified below (and I tried and failed to negotiate at 87mph) and min 3yrs between courses. There is also absolute discretion by Police on whether it's offered or not (other subsequent offence, attitude issue etc) and no right of appeal

Driver awareness courses

Once you’ve responded to the notice, and done so within the required timeframe, you could be sent:

• an option to attend a driver awareness course under the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme
• a fixed penalty notice
• or a letter telling you to go to court

The police will consider the following grounds when assessing your eligibility for the driver awareness course:

• your speed narrowly exceeded the limit and falls within the guidelines set out by the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) up to:
  • 31 mph in a 20 mph area
  • 42 mph in a 30 mph area
  • 53 mph in a 40 mph area
  • 64 mph in a 50 mph area­­
  • 75 mph in a 60 mph area
  • 86 mph in a 70 mph area
• you haven’t already completed a course within three years or are booked on an upcoming course

Please note: There's no legal entitlement to a course, these are offered at the sole discretion of police, and the courts have no powers over courses. If an offer for a course is made to you, the police can withdraw the offer at any time before the course has been successfully completed.

soolin

shaggy said:

I know that you can't take speed awareness courses if you have been on one within past two years, but is there any other criteria? Do new drivers generally get the option?

It’s actually 3 years to take a course again and how long you have been driving has no input on whether a course is offered.  It is based on guidelines within each force with courses being offered for a certain percentage excess speed , and points for higher percentage speeding. 

Mr.Generous

I was told by a traffic officer that a course is an option if you were caught on camera, a marked traffic car that stopped me said they didn't have that option, although he might have just spun me a line, he was not being unpleasant in the way he dealt with me at all.

macman

They're not offered in Scotland. And, unless things have changed, also in Dorset, if the offence was committed there?

Car_54

Mr.Generous said:

I was told by a traffic officer that a course is an option if you were caught on camera, a marked traffic car that stopped me said they didn't have that option, although he might have just spun me a line, he was not being unpleasant in the way he dealt with me at all.

These days, in most forces, the officer on the scene does not have any options..His report goes to a back office where the decision (course, COFP or court) is made..

Car_54

macman said:

They're not offered in Scotland. And, unless things have changed, also in Dorset, if the offence was committed there?

Dorset do offer courses, but they are (were?) the only force not to use the national NDORS scheme.

If that is still the case, you can do a course in Dorset and then another elsewhere - or vice-versa -within the three-year limit.