A new system for speeding fines has come into effect for British drivers, introducing more severe penalties for drivers who are caught breaking the speed limit.
Under the old system, the minimum penalty for speeding drivers was three points on their license and a fine of £100, which raised to a maximum £1,000 for more serious offences. Young drivers and severe offenders also faced a driving ban in certain circumstances.
From today, a revamped system will be introduced that could see drivers pay substantially more as fines will be calculated as a percentage of the offender's weekly income.
The move comes following "responses to a consultation arguing previous guidelines did not properly take into account the increase in potential harm that can result as speed above the limit rises", The Guardian says.
The newspaper adds that in 2015, 244 people were killed in car crashes that "occurred when a driver was breaking the speed limit".
Here's everything you need to know about the new speeding fines.
What's changed?
As it stands currently, the minimum penalty for speeding offences is a £100 fine and three points on your licence.
However, next week's changes will break that down into three categories, with varied penalties that depend on the severity of the speeding offence.
The first category, Band A, and is only for minor offences. The Daily Telegraph says anyone who drives "between 21mph and 30mph in a 20mph zone, 31mph to 40mph in a 30mph zone, or 71mph to 90mph on a 70mph road" will receive a Band A penalty. This will result in three points being added to the offender's licence.
Band B "is for more serious cases of speeding", adds the paper. This means if you're travelling between 31mph to 40mph on a 20mph road, 41mph to 50mph in a 30mph zone, 56mph to 65mph in a 40mph zone or up to 100mph in a 70mph zone, you will be given a second-tier fine. This will result in six points on your licence or a driving ban of between seven and 28 days.
Band C is reserved for the most severe speeding offences, as the Daily Telegraph says anyone travelling "41mph or above in a 20mph zone, 51mph or above in a 30mph zone, or above 101mph in a 70mph zone" will incur a Band C penalty. This will add six points to your license or a disqualification of between seven and 56 days.
How much will I pay in fines?
Drivers who take their speeding case to court, rather than pay a £100 fixed penalty, could be handed a fine calculated as a percentage of their weekly income.
A Band A speeding penalty will see drivers fined roughly 50 per cent of their weekly income, while a Band B offence rise to 100 per cent and Band C commands a 150 per cent penalty, says Evo.
These figures can increase or decrease by up to 25 per cent "subject to the court's discretion based on the specifics of the case in question".
Variables that could impact a court case include poor weather conditions, first-time offending, the number of people in the nearby area and "the timing of an offence in relation to previous convictions committed", adds the magazine.
A limit for how much offenders can be charged for speeding offences is also part of the new system, with Autocar reporting that penalties are capped at £1,000 on public roads and £2,500 on motorways.
How does this affect my licence?
While the new system could see fines rising, there's no word on whether fewer points will result in a licence ban. It's therefore expected that the current system, where drivers face an automatic six-month ban if they accumulate 12 points within three years, will remain in effect.