Scotland could adopt speed awareness courses open to other UK drivers caught just over limit

Thousands of drivers caught speeding in Scotland could soon be allowed to sign up for speed awareness courses instead of getting points on their licences, in a radical shake-up of road policing.

For years, motorists in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who are clocked slightly above the speed limit have been able to dodge fines or penalty points if they pay for a session of driver education.

Now The Sunday Post can reveal Police Scotland and the Scottish Government are planning ways the system could be introduced north of the border.

Speed awareness courses

Across the rest of the UK, almost two million drivers a year are offered awareness courses – with evidence suggesting these can reduce accidents and improve behaviour behind the wheel.

Another major benefit for motorists is that, unlike receiving penalty points, signing up for a course does not count as a criminal conviction and so does not need to be declared to an insurance company.

As a result, although the courses cost around £100, drivers may end up saving money on their insurance premiums.

The police have now confirmed that Scotland could be brought into line with the rest of Britain with the introduction of diversionary courses as an alternative to prosecution for various road traffic offences.

In the rest of the UK, such courses are managed on behalf of the police by a not-for-profit company called UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd).

Superintendent Andy Barclay, Police Scotland’s deputy head of road policing, told The Post: “We are engaging with Transport Scotland and UK Road Offender Education to consider the implementation of road traffic diversionary courses in Scotland.”

The subject was also raised between Police Scotland Chief Inspector Jo Farrell and Justice Secretary Angela Constance. Minutes from a meeting record a discussion “on speed awareness courses and the value of those in changing behaviours”.

Speeding in Scotland

Police recorded 15,064 speeding offences in 2023-24 – although this number does not include the thousands of drivers also clocked by the country’s network of speed cameras.

Speed awareness courses were a key recommendation by Scotland’s policing watchdog.

In a recent road policing report, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland said: “While fines and penalty points have an important place in the criminal justice system in dealing with more serious driving offences, there are offences that could be dealt with in an educational manner, as seen elsewhere in the UK.”

© Jane Barlow/PA Wire

The National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme offers courses on speed awareness, motorway awareness and safe and considerate driving as alternatives to prosecution.

The inspector concluded: “We recommend that Police Scotland engages with both UKROEd and other key stakeholders to progress the full implementation of educational courses for people who commit driving offences that may be appropriately addressed through learning.”

Last night road safety charity IAM RoadSmart welcomed the prospect. Policy and standards director Nick Lyes said: “These courses have been shown to have a positive effect on reducing offending, especially in the first three to six months after someone has taken a course.”

UKROEd said: “We strongly believe in the power of education to change minds and save lives. Our purpose is to make UK roads safe through public education.”

Avoid penalty points – and an increase to insurance bill

Speed awareness courses have been available to drivers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for more than 20 years.

At the discretion of the police, they are offered as an alternative to a fine or penalty points for minor breaches of the law caused by a lapse of concentration or an error of judgment – for example, slightly exceeding the speed limit.

Courses last around three hours, cost between £80 and £100, and can be taken online or at a dedicated training centre.

According to UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd), which oversees the scheme, the National Speed Awareness Course aims to “make the roads safer by helping people to drive at a safe speed within the speed limit”.

Drivers are taught “how to identify the speed limits, how to recognise and resist pressure to speed from themselves and others and how to avoid distractions.”

According to UKROEd, analysis of police data over a five-year period shows that speed courses reduced the likelihood of reoffending within six months by up to 23% – and that courses were more effective at reducing speed reoffending than a fine and penalty points. The body also runs a three-hour National Motorway Awareness Course for drivers caught exceeding an active variable speed limit or passing through a mandatory red X lane closure signal.

There is also a National Rider Risk Awareness Course for riders of motorcycles and mopeds, as well as a Safe and Considerate Cycling Course for bike riders caught cycling through red lights, without lights, or on pavements.

In 2024, an astonishing 1,998,000 people took one of the UKROEd courses – including 1,650,000 people who took the speed awareness course. For every course, £45 of the fee goes back to the police.

Although courses are costly and may require a driver to take time off work, there can be advantages. Being caught speeding means a driver can receive three penalty points. If a driver accrues a total of 12 points, they lose their licence – so signing up to a course instead of points can lower the risk of a driving ban.

Meanwhile, speeding convictions have to be disclosed to insurance companies – possibly meaning a steep increase in premiums. Although drivers – if asked – must tell their insurer if they have undertaken a speed awareness course, there is no automatic need to disclose this information, meaning premiums are less likely to rise.

Police guidelines state motorists are not allowed to escape a penalty if they drive significantly above the speed limit – for example 42mph+ in a 30mph area, 53mph+ in a 40mph area, or 86mph+ in a 70mph area.