Record number of drivers committing a motoring offence attended retraining course in 2022
A record number of drivers caught committing a motoring offence attended a retraining course last as an alternative to prosecution and the possibility of points and fines.
Figures from UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd) show that 1.76 million people completed a course in 2022, the highest number since data first started being published back in 2014.
The majority – 1.48 million, a record in itself – completed a national speed awareness course, while 168,000 carried out a national motorway awareness course, said the RAC Foundation.
Department for Transport figures show speed was a contributory factor in one in six fatal crashes on Britain’s roads in 2021.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The long-term rise in course attendees has coincided with an increase in the total number of speeding offences detected in England and Wales, up from 1.9 million in 2013 to nearly 2.9 million in 2021.
“Research has suggested reoffending rates are lower among people who have attended a speed awareness course than those who have been prosecuted.
“It is vital the same holds true for the wide array of courses now being run for other offences. That is something those running the scheme should be monitoring.”
According to UKROEd, a report by Ipsos MORI in 2018 showed that targeting the behaviour of motorists through the courses provided by UKROEd reduced the likelihood of reoffending within six months by up to 23 per cent.
It added: “The report also showed that over a period of three years, taking part in the course was more effective at reducing speed reoffending than a fine and penalty points.
“The report is based on data provided for 2.2 million drivers using records made available by 13 police forces in England for the period 2012 to 2017. Of these, 1.4 million had accepted an offer to participate in the National Speed Awareness Course.”
UKROEd is a private not-for-profit company that administers the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme on behalf of police forces.
Courses are run by a combination of private companies, councils and police forces across the UK.
A driver who has committed what is deemed a minor offence may be given the opportunity to participate at the discretion of the local chief constable.
Reoffending drivers cannot complete the same course again within three years.