“It must be in the public interest to rectify a fault rather than punish the transgressor” and “Retraining of traffic offenders may lead to an improvement in their driving, particularly if their training is angled towards their failings”. It’s main author, Peter North said the following: Speed Awareness and Driver Improvement Courses, more broadly referred to as Driver Retraining or Court Diversion Schemes, have their origins in the Road Traffic Law Review 1988. If you have not been offered a speed awareness or driver improvement course and believe that you should have been or have been offered one of these courses and don’t believe that you have done anything wrong, then please contact us for advice and a no obligation consultation on how we can help.īelow you will find helpful information on Speed Awareness and Driver Improvement Course Law, How We Can Help and answers to your Commonly Asked Questions.īackground on the Speed Awareness & Driver Improvement Courses

A motorist should not agree to attend on a course unless they accept that they have committed the offence. It should be remembered that whilst these schemes do not impose any criminal penalty, they are effectively a punishment, and should only be offered to a motorist where the police have evidence that an offence has been committed. The police should however, follow issued guidance by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and should offer a motorist the chance to attend a course if they satisfy the relevant criteria. It is at the discretion of the police as to whether they offer a speed awareness or driver improvement course, and different police forces offer different courses for different offences. The great benefit to the motorist is that if you attend a speed awareness or driver improvement course you will not receive any penalty points (an endorsement) on your driving licence or a fine.

Driving without due care and attention (careless driving)Ĭourses usually last between 1/2 and 1 day and cost between £70 and £120.

These courses can be offered for a wide range of offences, but most commonly include: Speed Awareness & Driver Improvement CoursesĪt Caddick Davies Solicitors, we have successfully represented many motorists to persuade the police to offer a choice of Speed Awareness and Driver Improvement Courses as the alternative to a Fixed Penalty Notice or formal prosecution before a Magistrates’ Court.Īs an alternative to prosecution, drivers may be offered a driver retraining course.

Driver easy no speed limit