Britain’s Income-Based Speeding Fines Now Max Out at 175 Percent of Weekly Income
Luckily, there’s a cap. Unluckily, it’s probably more than you make.
Consider this another reason your humble author is glad he lives in America. Under a new regulation that goes into effect on Monday, drivers in the United Kingdom who are caught speeding will receive fines based on their income that stretch as high as 175 percent of their weekly pay.
London's Aston Martin-driving bankers don't need to worry about the country sucking nearly two weeks' pay from their bank accounts, however. The maximum fine for a speeding ticket in Great Britain remains at £2,500, or approximately $3,197 at current exchange rates. (Unlike some countries, where income-based speeding fines have run up past half a million dollars.)
The new rules establish three tiers of infraction, based on how far over the speed limit they're caught going. Drivers nabbed doing up to 10 miles per hour over the limit will be fined between 25 and 75 percent of their weekly income; anyone caught doing 11–21 mph over the limit will be slapped with a fine between 75 and 125 percent of their weekly pay; and anyone caught doing 21 mph or more over the limit will face fines of between 125–175 percent of their week's wages. (The different range of fines appear to offer some flexibility within those speed bands.)
In addition, the worst offenders can have up to six points slapped on their license, and/or have their driving privileges pulled for up to eight weeks, according to The Sun. The minimum penalty remains £100 and three points on a license. (British driver's licenses can withstand up to 12 points a three-year span before being revoked.)
The move to increase penalties comes about after reports that speeding instances have risen by 44 percent over the last five years in Britain, according to Green Flag, a British organization analogous to AAA.
