Speed Education Instead Of Points Scheme Expands

A scheme that offers Speed Awareness Training instead of points on your driving licence, is to be expanded.
Motorists will be given extra opportunities to assess and improve their driving after being caught speeding as part of an expansion of the Thames Valley Speed Awareness Scheme.
From 1 April, Thames Valley Police will be adopting the full Association of Chief Police Officer (ACPO) guidelines for speed awareness schemes and broadening the programme. This means around 30 per cent more drivers and riders caught speeding will be given the option of attending the Thames Valley Speed Awareness Scheme instead of getting points on their licence. The four different workshops and courses aim to educate drivers about the dangers of speeding and change the public?s attitude towards speed, and are now being offered to more motorists than ever before.

Malcolm Collis, Safety Manager for Thames Valley Police Roads Policing Operational Command Unit, said:”We recognise the benefits of educating drivers rather than just punishing them. We believe our education schemes have a major influence on driver attitudes and behaviour. By increasing the number of workshops and courses, we will be able to reach a greater number of speeders who are breaking the upper and lower speed limits on different types of roads.
“We are determined to do everything we can to make the roads in the Thames Valley safer for all. Each year around 150 people are killed in the region. Many of these deaths may not have happened if people had not been speeding. Our Speed Awareness Scheme is very successful and we regularly receive feedback from sceptical drivers who say that it has changed the way they drive.”

There are four education programmes including; Urban Roads, Faster Roads, Rider Improvement Workshops and Speed Awareness Course.
The Urban Roads workshop is for those caught speeding in 30 and 40mph limits. This is for those detected in the speed range of 35-39mph in a 30mph limit or 46-50mph in a 40mph limit.
The Faster Roads workshop is for those caught speeding in 50, 60 and 70mph limits. This is for those detected in the speed range of 57-61mph in a 50mph limit or 68-72 mph in a 60mph limit or 79-83mph in a 70mph limit.

Both workshops last two-and-a-half hours and both cost