Devon County Council

Introduced in October 2005, the Speed Awareness Scheme is operated in partnership with Devon & Cornwall Constabulary by Devon County Council, through Devon Drivers’ Centre. Operating under the guidelines of the National Speed Awareness Scheme, offenders who drive in excess of the speed limit have the opportunity to attend a workshop as an alternative to the Fixed Penalty system of a £60 fine and three penalty points to be endorsed on their licence.

Workshops will only be available to drivers and riders via an offer from a police force, having exceeded a posted speed limit. Having attended a workshop, participants will not be eligible to attend a second course within the following three years.

The current workshop, run in Devon, is a three-hour interactive classroom session which is themed around the questions “Why do drivers speed?” and “Why should drivers not speed?”. The workshop aims to follow a logical pattern. By being more aware of the environment you are driving in, and by making rational decisions based on what you see at the time, you will reduce the risks of committing speeding offences and/or involvement in a road traffic collision.

It is not the intention to lecture participants about any past misdemeanours but to involve them in a constructive process that will assist them in making more informed choices when driving in the future.

Courses are currently available at Exeter, Ivybridge and Barnstaple.