I Drive 50000 Miles A Year

Question:

I am 52 years old have a clean driving licence which I have had for 32 years. 9 years ago I had a fixed penalty speed ticket.

Through lack of attention, rather than deliberation, I believe I have recently been caught in a 30mph limit at approx 53mph. This happened on the A12 in Suffolk.

I drive 50000 pa as part of my job and have done so for the last 14 years. I am aware of the 50mph threshold and that is why i never knowingly speed. Without my licence, I would lose my job and having unsuccessfully been looking for alternative employment for a year, believe I would end up long term un-employed and lose the family home and my car (it has a been bought on a loan).

Further, I would not be able to assist in looking after my disabled mother. I am in absolute despair that 10 seconds lack of attention may have cost me and my family everything. Is it still likely that the magistrates will impose a ban in these circumstances?

Louise Says:

First things first don’t panic! You need to take a deep breath and try and relax a little. I have been working with magistrates for over 20 years (the first 10 as one of their advisors) and they are not into destroying peoples lives.

You need to keep in touch with me and come back to me when you get the NIP through in the post. If you are the registered keeper of the car it will arrive within 14 days. If you are not the keeper get in touch with the lease company to find out if they have received one and ask them to call you if they do.

Eventually it will come to you and you will have to admit being the driver.

At that point we can speak because you will know what the speed alleged is.

If the speed is between 50 and 60 then its high and you will get a summons to court. I can then talk you through your mitigation in some detail.

Over the last 4.5 years we have been keeping stats regarding our success rates and we have helped over 95% of our clients who were at risk of discretionary bans avoid losing their licences and most of them were on higher speeds than you suspect this will be.

Keep me informed and we can talk when matters develop further.