Safety camera action – 13 extreme speeders guilty

11 extreme speeders are facing up to the consequences of their foolhardy and dangerous actions after being handed a total of £3,745 in fines and costs and banned from driving for a combined total of 174 days.

13 drivers and riders were summonsed to appear at Selby Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 16 August 2012 after being caught by North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety camera at speeds ranging from 72mph in a 40mph zone to 132mph in a 70mph zone.

The remaining two, a car driver and a motorcyclist were found guilty in their absence when they did not appear at court. Their cases have been adjourned for sentencing.

Speaking after the court hearings, Inspector Dave Brown of North Yorkshire Police’s Road Policing Group, said:

Speeding puts lives at risk and there is no excuse whatsoever for the speeds we have just witnessed.

As we have heard in court, the consequences of speeding do not stop with the criminal justice system. We have heard how a number of these motorists now face real difficulties in their lives as a result of their recklessness. One man will almost certainly lose his job and is on the verge of losing his home, which has had a devastating effect on his family.

Another will face gross misconduct proceedings at work and could lose his job. At best, many others face an unwelcome hole in their bank balance after paying a hefty fine and the inconvenience of being banned from driving. Not to mention a significant rise in their insurance premiums.

It is staggering that despite all the warnings of the potential consequences, drivers still continue to drive at such unacceptable speeds. We would prefer it if drivers did not speed in first place, but if they do, they can be assured that they will face the full force of the law.

All of these offences have been captured by our mobile safety camera which has proved to be a key tool in our drive to make the county’s roads safer. It is clear evidence of the camera’s capability to capture all offences, be it high or low level, and all types of vehicles.

The guilty pleas and verdicts demonstrate the high quality of the evidence produced by the camera. Saving officer’s time at court and resulting in quick and efficient justice being served.

In first 12 months of safety camera operation (July 11 to June 12 inc) the following offences have been detected:

• Total Violations 16,055
• Report for Summons 250 – sent direct to Court due to high speed
• Conditional Offer of Fixed penalty 2,126
• Speed Awareness course 13,054
• Not Proceeded With 625