Derbyshire speeding driver convictions up 86 per cent in one year, figures show

Figures from the Ministry of Justice show 3,754 motorists caught by Derbyshire Police were convicted in courts for speeding offences in 2022 – an increase of 86 per cent from 2,023 convictions the year before and the highest since comparable records began in 2014.

Overall, 74 per cent of the 5,053 motorists in Derbyshire who had court proceedings for speeding ended up being convicted of the offence.

The RAC Foundation said the rise in convictions across England and Wales made for "grim reading" as speeding plays a significant part in road collisions.

Most people caught speeding are handed a £100 fine and either penalty points or are offered a retraining course.

But cases involving serious incidents or motorists who deny exceeding the limit often end up in court - where fines can reach a maximum of £2,500 for speeding on a motorway.

Superintendent David Nicholls, of Derbyshire Police, said the increase in convictions was not a problem unique to Derbyshire.

He said: “We will always offer people the chance to take part in an educational course as a first step where this is appropriate, as education can be much more effective than going through the courts system.

"However in some cases, such as where people have been caught speeding previously or the speed recorded was very serious, this is not an option.

"So these drivers will face court action and of course drivers who are offered the chance to take part in a training course still have the option to refuse the education route and go to court.

“We make no apologies for enforcement action around speeding. It is one of the biggest killers in terms of being the cause or a causal factor in serious and fatal collisions both in Derbyshire and across the country.”

RAC road safety spokesperson Simon Williams said: "The fact the number of court convictions has risen in just a year seems to imply an increase in the proportion of serious cases having to be dealt with in legal proceedings.

"While it is clearly wrong to be just a few miles an hour over the limit, arguably it is prolific excessive speeders who are putting people’s lives in danger.”