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Original poster

Caught speeding but police haven't been in touch

19 replies

Forestfever · 11/02/2023 16:17

A few years ago I got caught speeding on the motorway. I think it was summer 2020 but can't be sure. Car registered to husband and so he got the letter and sent it back with my details. I never heard anything again and completely forgot about it until now.

What can I do? I'm now worried that this will come back to haunt me as maybe a letter got lost in the post and so it looks like I ignored it. Now I've remembered I'm worried.

OP posts:
asblindasabat · 11/02/2023 16:19

Well if you didn’t get anything at the time and now that it was nearly three years ago, I can’t see how they could just randomly issue you with a speeding fine.

even if that did happen, you could probably get it cancelled anyway. I think they have to be issued within a certain timeframe for them to be valid.

GreyCarpet · 11/02/2023 16:21

I may be wrong but I think they have to contact you within 2 weeks.

I'm sure if a letter was lost in the post you'd have heard something else from them by now.

Orangetapemeasure · 11/02/2023 16:22

They keep sending the fines until you pay/respond and will send a court summons if needs be….but not 3 years down the line. You’ve got away with it.

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Original poster
Forestfever · 11/02/2023 16:22

asblindasabat · 11/02/2023 16:19

Well if you didn’t get anything at the time and now that it was nearly three years ago, I can’t see how they could just randomly issue you with a speeding fine.

even if that did happen, you could probably get it cancelled anyway. I think they have to be issued within a certain timeframe for them to be valid.

Thank you for replying. I think I looked at the time and they have to send the initial letter within 14 days (I think it's called a NIP) which they did. I don't think there is a limit after that, which does seem a bit silly! However it seems for speeding points stay on your license for four years so that would be next year now.

I'm more worried that It's somehow gone to court in my absence.

OP posts:
asblindasabat · 11/02/2023 16:22

GreyCarpet · 11/02/2023 16:21

I may be wrong but I think they have to contact you within 2 weeks.

I'm sure if a letter was lost in the post you'd have heard something else from them by now.

this. Just re-read your post OP.

they would have got in contact with you long ago so I wouldn’t worry tbh.

Original poster
Forestfever · 11/02/2023 16:23

Orangetapemeasure · 11/02/2023 16:22

They keep sending the fines until you pay/respond and will send a court summons if needs be….but not 3 years down the line. You’ve got away with it.

I guess I have.. I would have happily (well happily might be a stretch) paid the fine if received.

OP posts:
pzyck · 11/02/2023 16:27

So the guidance regarding the two week notice is only correct in terms of contacting the registered keeper of the vehicle. If the RK states they weren't the driver, then the follow up correspondence to the named individual does not have a deadline.

That said, I'd suspect you'd have had further correspondence/court summoning by now if they'd written to you and it had gone a stray.

pigsinoodies · 11/02/2023 16:32

I can't remember now whether there's a new time limit for issuing a NIP once the keeper's identified the driver. I suspect there is though.

It's irrelevant anyway though. Speeding is a summary offence, they've only got 6 months to start a prosecution.

bigbluebus · 11/02/2023 16:35

Get your licence details on the Gov.uk site and see if they've put the points on your licence. It's quick and easy to do.

tommika · 11/02/2023 16:35

Forestfever · 11/02/2023 16:22

Thank you for replying. I think I looked at the time and they have to send the initial letter within 14 days (I think it's called a NIP) which they did. I don't think there is a limit after that, which does seem a bit silly! However it seems for speeding points stay on your license for four years so that would be next year now.

I'm more worried that It's somehow gone to court in my absence.

Show quote history

If you’re worried that something has happened without your knowledge you can check for any points on your driving license here :

www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

Original poster
Forestfever · 11/02/2023 16:37

pzyck · 11/02/2023 16:27

So the guidance regarding the two week notice is only correct in terms of contacting the registered keeper of the vehicle. If the RK states they weren't the driver, then the follow up correspondence to the named individual does not have a deadline.

That said, I'd suspect you'd have had further correspondence/court summoning by now if they'd written to you and it had gone a stray.

Thank you. This was my understanding re: time limits. I'm more concerned that somehow the letter was lost in the post and I've somehow ended up with a court hearing /penalty points that I now haven't declared.

OP posts:
Original poster
Forestfever · 11/02/2023 16:39

tommika · 11/02/2023 16:35

If you’re worried that something has happened without your knowledge you can check for any points on your driving license here :

www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

Show quote history

I did not know this, thank you. I'll check. If I have points that I don't know about I wouldn't have declared them on insurance.

But presumably I would have had to have sent off my license to get them.

OP posts:
Original poster
Forestfever · 11/02/2023 16:39

pigsinoodies · 11/02/2023 16:32

I can't remember now whether there's a new time limit for issuing a NIP once the keeper's identified the driver. I suspect there is though.

It's irrelevant anyway though. Speeding is a summary offence, they've only got 6 months to start a prosecution.

I also didn't know this about prosecution. Thank you.

OP posts:
Ferguson0909 · 11/02/2023 16:49

A very similar thing happened to my son.

He had a company car and was caught speeding. He did not know at the time.
he changed jobs and address a few weeks later. In between jobs he went travelling so had no real address.

the summons went all over the place. His place of work. His old address. Eventually to my house. They said they were now going to take him to court for ignoring it.
A solicitor we know took it to the court. He was always there because he acted for lots of criminals.

in short he explained about the change of job, address etc so he was off that particular charge. But this guy also said he couldn’t be done for the speeding offence because it was too long ago for him to remember what he was doing that day so could not be expected to know if there were any mitigating circumstances.

Hard lines for the police because it wasn’t really their fault.
Btw I was furious at my son for the speeding offence so I did not condone his behaviour.

buttercupboots · 11/02/2023 16:57

Hi OP I got a speeding ticket at the end of March 2020 and responded straight away with details, never heard back. I gave them a call 8 months later as I had to reinsure and wanted to know what was going on with it and they told me that they'd cancelled loads of tickets due to prioritising other things during the pandemic! I imagine that's what happened with yours too given the amount of time that passed.

Original poster
Forestfever · 11/02/2023 17:00

buttercupboots · 11/02/2023 16:57

Hi OP I got a speeding ticket at the end of March 2020 and responded straight away with details, never heard back. I gave them a call 8 months later as I had to reinsure and wanted to know what was going on with it and they told me that they'd cancelled loads of tickets due to prioritising other things during the pandemic! I imagine that's what happened with yours too given the amount of time that passed.

Oh this is hugely reassuring! It did happen to be on the Surrey stretch of the M25, did it?

OP posts:
amicrazy111 · 11/02/2023 17:05

Make sure it's not that your license is registered to a wrong address.

Happened to my SIL and after lots of (accidentally) ignored letters they found her and took her to court.

Otherwise, I'd assume you got away with it!

Original poster
Forestfever · 11/02/2023 17:05

Ferguson0909 · 11/02/2023 16:49

A very similar thing happened to my son.

He had a company car and was caught speeding. He did not know at the time.
he changed jobs and address a few weeks later. In between jobs he went travelling so had no real address.

the summons went all over the place. His place of work. His old address. Eventually to my house. They said they were now going to take him to court for ignoring it.
A solicitor we know took it to the court. He was always there because he acted for lots of criminals.

in short he explained about the change of job, address etc so he was off that particular charge. But this guy also said he couldn’t be done for the speeding offence because it was too long ago for him to remember what he was doing that day so could not be expected to know if there were any mitigating circumstances.

Hard lines for the police because it wasn’t really their fault.
Btw I was furious at my son for the speeding offence so I did not condone his behaviour.

Lucky son! I'm furious with myself and my husband was furious with me too. It happened at a time when we really could have done without the fine and increased insurance costs. Lesson learnt.

OP posts:
Original poster
Forestfever · 11/02/2023 17:06

amicrazy111 · 11/02/2023 17:05

Make sure it's not that your license is registered to a wrong address.

Happened to my SIL and after lots of (accidentally) ignored letters they found her and took her to court.

Otherwise, I'd assume you got away with it!

No, fortunately it is at the right address. I was surprised I was organised enough to have updated it but apparently I was!

OP posts:
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