Navigating Speed Awareness Courses & Car Insurance

Caught in the fast lane? Facing repercussions like fines or license points? In less dire situations, opting for a speed awareness course might be the proactive solution for improving your driving habits.

Delving into Speed Awareness Courses

Beyond being a reaction to speeding, the speed awareness course serves as an educational tool, managed by the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS) under UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd). Its purpose? Refreshing your understanding of the Highway Code, keeping you in the loop on rule changes, and fostering a safer driving mindset.

Securing Your Spot in the Course

Booking a speed awareness course is accessible through Gov.uk. Alternatively, if you're eligible post-speeding incident, the option surfaces in the notice you receive.

Criteria for Eligibility

Not all speeders qualify. The police decide based on:

• Previous course completion in the past three years.
• The degree by which you exceeded the speed limit, evaluated against the National Police Chief Council's acceptable range.

Acceptable Speed Ranges:

Driving Speed (mph)	Speed Limit in the Area (mph)
31	20
42	30
53	40
64	50
75	60
86	70

 

You might like to read: Speeding fines & car insurance premiums

Duration on Record

Complete a speed awareness course, and it sticks on your record for 3.5 years in the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme database. During this period, another course option is off the table if you're caught speeding again.

How this impacts your car insurance varies by provider. Some might increase premiums, seeing it as a risk, while others may view it positively, potentially lowering costs in the long run.

Informing Your Car Insurance Provider

One crucial aspect often overlooked is whether you need to inform your car insurance provider about attending a speed awareness course. The practice varies among insurers. It's advisable to check your policy terms or get in touch with your provider. Some insurers may appreciate the proactive effort to improve your driving skills and won't penalise you. Others may see it as a risk factor, potentially affecting your premium. Transparency is key, so it's better to confirm with your provider.

The Cost of a Course

When you're the one caught speeding, you foot the bill for the speed awareness course. Costs range, usually falling between £80 to £100, depending on your location.

Notification and Choices After Speeding

Within 14 days of a speeding offence, expect a notification. Eligible for a speed awareness course? Three options present themselves:

1. Attend and complete the course.
2. Accept a conditional fixed penalty – a minimum £100 fine and three penalty points on your license.
3. Request a court hearing to dispute the allegation.

Details like date, time, and location of your speed awareness course will be provided.

Inside the Speed Awareness Course

A three-hour workshop awaits, mixing theory with presentations, discussions, and activities. Key topics include:

• The importance of adhering to speed limits.
• Identifying speed limits on different roads.
• Recognising situations where speeding might occur and how to address them.
• Strategies to avoid speeding.

No tests, but active participation and a positive road safety attitude are expected. Courses can be both online and in-person.