Website of the UK government

The statistics

On average, nine people are killed and 85 injured each day on the UK's roads. Without safety cameras to reduce speeding and make the roads safer, around 100 more people would be killed each year.

Types of safety camera

Safety cameras include speed cameras and traffic signal (red-light) cameras. Speed cameras can be:

• fixed
• mobile or
• average speed (time-over-distance)
  

Most safety cameras in England and Wales are run by local partnerships. These partnerships are usually made up of the local authority, the police and the courts.

What are the rules for safety cameras?

The Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers decide how safety cameras can be used.

The Department for Transport (DfT) produces a leaflet, 'Use of speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: guidance on deployment, visibility and signing'. The leaflet explains where cameras can be used and how they should be displayed and signposted. However, if a safety camera does not meet this guidance you can't use this as a defence if you are caught speeding or jumping a red light.

Safety cameras are generally installed on roads:

• with a history of road traffic collisions and
• where there is evidence of a speeding problem or 
• where there is local community concern

The police may also use cameras to enforce speed limits. In this case the rules about cameras being visible do not apply. 

• Download DfT guidance leaflet on speed cameras (PDF, 161K)
• Help with PDF files

Speeding fines and penalty points

If a vehicle is caught speeding or jumping a red light by a safety camera, the registered keeper will be sent a form called 'Notice of Intended Prosecution' within 14 days. Part of this form asks the registered keeper to identify the driver at the time of the offence.

If you are the driver, you may be eligible for a conditional offer of a fixed penalty. This means you will not have to attend a court hearing if you pay the fixed penalty.

The minimum fine for speeding or running a red light is £60 and three penalty points added to your licence.

You may need to go to court if ...

... the offence is a serious one or if you already have a certain number of points on your licence. In this case you will not be offered a fixed penalty and will have to go to court.

 You can choose to go to court if ...

... you wish to challenge the penalty or there are mitigating circumstances you think should be taken into consideration. If you tell the police you wish to go to court  they will normally issue you with a summons. You can give reasons for disputing the speeding fine on the summons, plus any evidence you want the court to take into account.

Appearing in court

If you appear in court the magistrates will decide on your fine and penalty points. They have the power to increase both the fine and the penalty points, and you may also be ordered to pay court costs.

All fines go to HM Treasury. Neither the police nor local councils profit from fines.

• Endorsements, penalty points and disqualification (motoring section)

Useful links

• Think! campaign (opens new window)
• Speed limits - how they are set (home and community section)
• Road safety for pedestrians (home and community section)
• Road safety for drivers (motoring section)