Flashed by speed camera

ayers

Hello,

My Friend's Godson, who is 19 years old and recently passed his driving test (December 2024), was flashed by a speed camera on a dual carriageway. He thinks he was doing approximately 70 mph when the limit was 50 mph. He said this was completely accidental. As it was quite late at night, there were no other cars on the road, which does not excuse him from driving at this speed.

Can anyone suggest his possible fate?

BethRobinson

Why are you getting involved?

fatbelly

Fine and points.

If he was doing an indicated 70 his true speed may have been 64-66

If he is very fortunate that is still a Band A and if he is very very fortunate he would be offered a speeding awareness course.

Needs to become aware of what speed limits apply

Alderbank

Sometimes a camera will flash but no images will be recorded. The police must send a NIP (notice of intended prosecution) within 14 days so if the registered keeper of the car has heard nothing for the next 14 days your godson has been lucky.

If his actual speed was no more than 64 mph it will be £100 fine and 3 points, and when his insurance renews it will be even higher than it is now.

If he was indeed doing about 70 mph that is very serious. He faces a band B fine (up to £1,000) and 4-6 points and as a new driver 6 points would get him an immediate ban from the DVLA. A hard lesson to learn.

There is no point in claiming in mitigation that it was completely accidental (does that mean he didn't know the speed limit or does it mean he was unaware how fast he was going?)

ayers

Thank you both for your replies. If he is banned from driving by the DVLA, do you know approximately how long the banned will last?

ayers

Hello BethRobinson. I've just seen your question. The reason why I'm getting involved is because the person in question approached me regarding the situation. 

fatbelly

If he is within 2 years of passing his test and gets 6 points then his licence is revoked.

He has to apply for a provisional licence and go through the test process again

If it's 4 points and a ban, likely to be 28 days

Keep_pedalling

Minimum is a fixed penalty of £100 plus 3 points. If he does not get that then it is a visit to court where he will get a fine plus 4 to 6 point or a short ban. If he gets 6 points then rather than a ban his licence will be revoked and he will have to apply for a provisional licence and take both parts of the driving test again. 

Emmia

ayers said:

Thank you both for your replies. If he is banned from driving by the DVLA, do you know approximately how long the banned will last?

https://www.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements/new-drivers

It's a bit more than a ban in the usual way.  As he's a newly qualified driver, he needs to redo his theory and practical tests if he gets banned.

When I passed my test 20 years ago I was very aware of this, and I'll be surprised if your godson wasn't also aware of the 2 year points implications for his licence.

To quote from gov.uk linked above.


"New drivers

Your licence will be cancelled (revoked) if you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your test.

If your licence is cancelled within 2 years

You’ll have to apply and pay for a new provisional licence and pass both theory and practical parts of the driving or riding test again to get a full licence."

Hoenir

ayers said:

He thinks he was doing approximately 70 mph when the limit was 50 mph. He said this was completely accidental. 

When did people stop accepting personal reponsibity for their own actions. We've similar drivers around here. The reason a pedestrian was killed crossing a road in a 20 mph limit last year. 

James_Poisson

ayers said:

Hello,

My Friend's Godson, who is 19 years old and recently passed his driving test (December 2024), was flashed by a speed camera on a dual carriageway. He thinks he was doing approximately 70 mph when the limit was 50 mph. He said this was completely accidental. As it was quite late at night, there were no other cars on the road, which does not excuse him from driving at this speed.

Can anyone suggest his possible fate?

Can't see any point in trying to "predict fate" it is what it is he will have to see, the camera might not even be live but still flashes.

There are two cameras in Chideock (one of which is quite famous in speed camera history) they are both the latest digital ones but only one has a live device in it at any one time.

The older Gatso cameras that used 35mm film are obsolete and are just left in place as a deterrent, but if this is a dual carriage way he will probably hear very soon.