Speed Awareness Course - How Does Speeding Affect Your Car Insurance?

Speeding is an increasing problem in the UK. In 2023, over 200,000 people were found guilty of a speeding offence. Many people caught speeding will be offered the speed awareness course as an alternative to a speeding fine and points on their licence. But if you attend a speed awareness course, will this affect your car insurance?

The consequences of speeding differ according to how far over the limit you are caught travelling at. 

As a minimum, drivers caught speeding will face:

• £100 fine
• Three points on their driving licence (which remain in place for at least four years)

You will be disqualified from driving if you have 12 or more penalty points. And if you’re a new driver, you could be disqualified if you receive six penalty points within your first two years of driving. 

Since April 2017, the speeding fine system has been based on bands that relate to how far over the speed limit you were recorded travelling. The greater your speed compared to the speed limit, the greater the punishment. 

If your case is deemed to be a minor speeding offence, you’ll receive a Fixed Penalty Notice that details the fine and points to be added to your licence.

In more serious cases, you might need to go to court, where much higher fines and harsher punishments can be imposed. This usually applies if you were driving more than 20 mph over the signposted speed limit. 

In the UK, speed awareness courses (also known as the National Speed Awareness course) are an alternative to traditional speeding fines. Available both in-person and online, these courses give drivers the chance to reflect and improve their driving behaviour. 

If you are caught speeding slightly above the legal limit, you might be offered the option to attend a speed awareness course instead of receiving penalty points on your driving licence and paying a fine. 

This option is usually only available if you were driving a little over the speed limit - usually between 10% plus two mph and 10% plus nine mph over the speed limit. 

Who can attend a speed awareness course?

Not everyone is eligible for a speed awareness course. 

Usually, you can attend if: 

• It’s your first speeding offence within three years
• Your speed was within the threshold
• You haven’t attended a speed awareness course in the last three years

What happens during a speed awareness course?

Speed awareness courses usually last about four hours and are focused on education rather than punishment. 

You can expect:

• Interactive discussions about road safety
• Reflections on your driving habits
• Information on the consequences of speeding
• Strategies for maintaining safer driving speeds
• Insights into risk assessment while driving

Attending a speed awareness course isn’t free. 

But it’s usually more attractive than receiving penalty points and a fine. 

You’ll usually have to pay between £80-£100 (depending on the provider and location), which is comparable to a speeding ticket. 

The advantages include:

• No penalty points on your driving licence
• Access to road safety education
• The chance to improve your driving skills

Speed awareness courses are usually arranged by the local police force. You can book a place online or via phone. You’ll need to attend the whole session. If you don’t, the original speeding penalty will be applied. 

How to avoid a speeding fine

1. If your car has a speed limiter, set it to the speed limit. This will automatically stop the car from going over the speed limit. 
2. If your car has cruise control, use it! This will keep you travelling at a steady pace, although accelerating or decelerating will override the system when necessary. 
3. Allow yourself enough time to get where you need to go. We’ve all left the house too late, but being stopped by the police for speeding will make you even later.

Shop around for cheap car insurance using a car insurance comparison website. Using these services to get a few different car insurance quotes will help to keep your insurance premium as low as possible, whatever your circumstances are.