Two million road users allowed to take courses to avoid prosecution in 2024

A record 2.0 million UK drivers and other road users caught committing offences were allowed to take retraining courses to avoid prosecution last year.

That is up from 1.9 million in 2023 and represents the highest annual total in records dating back to 2014, according to figures from UK Road Offender Education seen by the PA news agency.

In 2021 the total was 1.5 million.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “Motorists featuring in these numbers should be thankful that they aren’t appearing in the even more worrying road casualty statistics that record the toll of death and injury that persistently haunts our roads.

“Drivers should respect motoring laws because they exist to protect all road users.”

More than four out of five (82%) of last year’s course attendees went on speed awareness classes, which last two hours and 45 minutes.

These aim to help people identify speed limits, resist pressure to speed, and avoid distractions.

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show 314 people died in crashes on Britain’s roads in 2023 in which a driver exceeding the speed limit was a contributory factor.

This was at least a 10-year high.

Drivers have reported that the cost of taking a speed awareness course – which can be taken at a venue or online – ranges from £79 to £100.

Costs vary depending on where the class is based.

Motorists offered to take a course can select one in any region, leaving some to search for the cheapest online option.

Mr Gooding said: “It is noticeable that the price of courses varies across the country, which might reflect historic costs involved in setting them up, but in an online world begs a question of why this variation persists.

“Do we want a situation where drivers shop around for the best deal rather than attend a course that has been designed to reflect the local circumstances?”

Other retraining courses available to offending road users are focused on motorway driving, motorbike and moped riding, cycling and seat belt wearing.

UK Road Offender Education is a private not-for-profit company which administers the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (Ndors) 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.

Ndors was approached for a comment.