All four Police Forces in Wales are committed to road safety and the edu
cation of drivers. The course costs £85 to attend and is offered as an alternative to the £60 fine and 3 penalty points. Motorists are only eligible providing they have not exceeded the speed limit by more than 10% + 9mph and have not completed a Speed Awareness Course within three years. Those exceeding the limit by over 10% + 9mph will be dealt with by way of a fixed penalty or court process.
The service providers for the courses are registered with the Association of National Driver Improvement Scheme Providers (ANDISP). All instructors are appropriately qualified DSA Approved Driving Instructors. Visit www.dft.gov.uk/DSA for further information. A Speed Awareness Course can be attended in any force area where the National Scheme (NDORS) has been adopted, irrespective of where the offence occurred.
The course is a four-hour classroom-based workshop and is designed to explore the reasons why people exceed the speed limit and aims to help develop a strategy to prevent further lapses. At the end of the course, drivers should be able to identify: -
• What causes drivers/riders to speed
• The consequences of misusing speed
• Speed limits whilst driving/riding
• Potential hazards on the road
There is no formal written test but drivers are expected to have a positive attitude. Courses are offered in the medium of Welsh and English and disabilities are catered for.
Up to 20 people may attend a course and every driver will be given relevant leaflets relating to road safety.
Only one course can be undertaken in any three year period and is not mandatory. The course provider will write to an applicant with details on how to book a course. Once a course is successfully completed, the file on that incident is closed and no further action taken. Each driver is notified of this in writing by the relevant Police force.
An offender has to complete the course within 4 months of the date of offence, failure to attend may result in prosecution.
Course Providers:-
Mid & South Wales
TTC Group
Hadley Park East
Hadley
Telford
Shropshire
TF1 6QJ
Tel: 08452704363
www.ttc-uk.com
North Wales
AA DriveTech
Fanum House
Basing View
Basingstoke
RG21 4EA
Tel: 08453459623
www.aadrivetech.com
It is evident from feedback that drivers have found the course very beneficial.
Comments and views from people who have attended the course:
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"I am writing to ask if you could please thank our trainer for the way in wish she presented the speed awareness course.
Going to the course, I did not know what to expect. However when the course finished I felt I had gained a lot of knowledge, which you forget over the years.
The course was presented in a friendly warm atmosphere but still managed to get the points over to us; why we must be alert and to stay within the speed limit at all times.
I really found this course beneficial and will NOT be returning to this course or collecting anymore points on my licence, after the session you gave.
Thank you for making me a better driver."
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"I found the recent course to be informative and beneficial. In fact, I was alarmed to how
much more I should be paying attention whilst driving. Not just my speed"
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"I really appreciated that the course was aimed at responsible adults and completely avoided being patronising or accusatory - I think it was pitched at the right level.
I was caught for speeding 5/6 years ago following which I thought I had learnt to pay better attention to my speed and driving overall. Clearly, as we discussed, we fall out of good habits over time and though we shouldn't need reminders the course has been very useful. I think I also learnt some new things about recognising speed limits in the absence of signs"