West Mercia Police worked alongside the Safer Roads Partnership to limit reckless driving
Almost 95,000 drivers in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire were caught breaking the speed limit in the past 12 months, according to figures released by West Mercia Police.
The police force reviewed figures recorded between November 2015 to November 2016, which showed that 94,726 drivers were caught driving over the speed limit, of which two were caught driving at 108mph, almost double the speed limit for the roads they were on.
Although the number of speeding drivers has decreased from the 115,104 offenders recorded in 2014, the latest statistics suggest far too many people are continuing to disregard the importance of keeping to the speed limit.
Meanwhile neighbouring law enforcement, North Wales Police, recorded 47,000 speeding offences in the same period, a figure that has significantly increased from the 21,111 offences recorded in 2012.
North Wales Police also receives more than £1million a year from speed awareness courses, which are offered to those caught driving within a certain threshold above the speed limit.
Currently, drivers caught breaking the speed limit receive a minimum penalty of a £100 fine and three points on their licence. Drivers who receive 12 within three years can be disqualified from driving.
Richard Johnson, a road accident specialist at Thompsons Solicitors, said: “Speed limits are enforced to ensure road users are protected and that unnecessary accidents are avoided, but it seems that tens of thousands of drivers still continue to ignore the law, with some driving at seriously dangerous speeds across the region’s roads.
“While driving bans and fines can be effective to deter the majority of drivers from committing speeding offences, those who flout the law may need to be hit with tougher penalties. Proper funding of police forces also needs to be implemented to ensure that there is maximum enforcement and that drivers are educated about the consequences that reckless driving can bring.”
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