How Much Is a Speed Awareness Course in the UK?

If you’re caught breaking the speed limit in the UK, you might be given the opportunity to attend a speed awareness course and avoid a hefty fine and penalty points.

But, how much is a speed awareness course in the UK?

Let’s find out.

What Is the Cost of a Speed Awareness Course in the UK? 

Speeding is one of the most common driving offences in the UK, and in most cases, it results in a fine and penalty points. In fact, over 20% of car accidents that happen in the UK are due to speeding. 

In some situations, however, you could be offered to attend a speed awareness course instead, which is designed to help drivers avoid speeding in the future.

While the offenders can get away without getting penalty points, they’ll still have to pay for the course. 

The speed awareness course price is usually around the minimum fine for speeding, which is £100. 

Eligibility criteria

Not everyone meets the speed awareness course eligibility requirements. 

Drivers that go over the speed awareness course limits, which often result in the maximum fines, are almost never eligible to attend a speed awareness course in the UK. Also, drivers can’t count on saving penalty points with a speed awareness course if they’ve taken one in the last three years.

But, how much can drivers go over the speed limit to be eligible for a speed awareness course?

While the threshold for a speed awareness course varies from one police station to another, most cap it at around 10% of the speed limit.

Speed limit	Tolerance level
30mph	42mph
40mph	53mph
50mph	64mph
60mph	75mph
70mph	85mph

What Happens at a Speed Awareness Course?

When it comes to speed awareness course duration, they typically last 2 hours and 45 minutes, and if you’re wondering about the speed awareness course content, these half-day workshops cover topics like the effects of speeding, and how to drive safely.

The course, which is offered by The National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS), also teaches motorists about stopping distances, the different speed limits for every type of vehicle, and how to improve their focus while behind the wheel. 

In order to attend the speed awareness course, you’ll need your driver’s licence with you. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to provide two forms of identification.

The good news is that speed awareness courses don’t require drivers to pass an exam or a test. They are, however, encouraged to have a ‘good attitude’ and participate in group debates throughout the course.

Speed awareness course and Covid-19

During the Covid-19 epidemic, police stations and local councils introduced an online speed awareness course due to the various pandemic-related restrictions that were set in place. As most countries around the world are slowly returning to normalcy, drivers still have the option to attend an online driver awareness course.

If you want to find out more about the speed awareness course online cost, it’s best to contact the local police force or the institution that offered you the test, since they set the price.

Will a Speed Awareness Course Affect Your Insurance?

Having penalty points on your driver’s licence can negatively affect your insurance. In fact, insurers are likely to raise your premiums if they see points added to your licence. 

However, since attending a speed awareness course will help you avoid penalty points, it’s unlikely to have an effect on your insurance premiums unless your insurer finds out that you’ve made a traffic violation. 

There shouldn’t be any speed awareness course insurance implications unless your insurer asks about it. Lying about not having attended a speed awareness course can invalidate your insurance. 

Still, this doesn’t mean that your insurer will raise the cost of your policy. If they do, you can expect your premiums to go up to 10-30%. 

Bottom Line 

A speed awareness course is a great way to learn more about how to stay safe on the road and avoid penalty points on your driver’s licence, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements. The best part about it is that the course is affordable – a speed awareness course cost in the UK usually ranges between £80-£100 and lasts for about four hours.