Need advice or help on a speeding offence?

Being charged with a speeding offence doesn’t necessarily mean you are bang to rights.

Talk to our speeding offence solicitor to discuss what kind of speeding offence you’ve been charged with and what we could be able to do about it.

If you have been caught for a speeding related offence, it is important that you find out what sort of speed camera you were caught with. There can be huge discrepancies in the accuracy of speeding cameras in the United Kingdom, and this can make the difference between a conviction and a successful defence. Your solicitor will be able to help you to understand the type of reading that has been involved in your case and this can be used to help you in your defence.

Gatso Cameras

Gatso speed cameras can be fixed or mobile. These cameras photograph passing vehicles from the rear as they are passing over fixed distance markers on the road. The speed of the vehicle can then be calculated by working out how long it took for a vehicle to travel between two fixed distance markers. It is not always possible to identify the driver of the vehicle, because of the angle that the photograph is taken from.

Vehicle-based Cameras

Vehicle-based cameras include VASCAR and PROVIDA speed cameras. They are used by police when pursuing a target vehicle. You will normally be stopped by the police immediately if you have been caught with one of these cameras. They use a time-distance mechanism which calculates distance travelled over a set period of time.

To successfully prosecute a driver caught using one of these cameras; the operator must be able to prove that it was being used in accordance with the ACPO Code of Practice. If there is any debate over whether the camera was being used correctly then the Prosecution must prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the reading was taken in accordance with the rules.

Laser or Radar Guns

These speed checking devices are normally used by roadside traffic officers. Unless they are used in accordance with the ACPO Code of Practice, they can be very imprecise. Distance and alignment checks must be done by the police officer to ensure the equipment is operating properly. The user must aim the equipment at a fixed point on a vehicle to avoid ‘slippage’ effects. Failing to do this will distort the readings and can give false indications of speed.

SPECS Cameras

SPECS Cameras use vehicle registration plate recognition technology to calculate the speed of a vehicle over a fixed distance. Recording cameras can be up to a mile apart. Because they work out the average speed of the vehicle over a set distance, slowing down as you pass the camera will not help you to avoid detection. Average speed checks are often used in areas where temporary speed limits are in place because of construction work.

Truvelo Speed Cameras

Truvelo cameras take photos of the front of the vehicle instead of the rear. Because they use infrared light, they do not flash to alert the driver that their picture has been taken. They are ineffective against motorbikes which do not need front-facing registration details.

Consequences

If you have been caught by a speed camera or alternative speed detection device, it may be possible to mount a successful defence. Camera operators must prove that the device was used in accordance with ACPO Code of Practice and any guidelines set out by the equipment manufacturer. If there is any doubt that correct procedure was followed, then it may be possible to fight for a full acquittal.

Call us on 020 3634 9755