DRIVERS are set to be offered courses on the dangers of speeding instead of points on their licence in an attempt to reduce the number breaking the law.

It has emerged that Scotland’s legal chiefs have given Police Scotland the go-ahead to begin detailed planning on how the courses might run as the number of offenders reaches a record high.

Motorists who are caught speeding would pay to attend a course, which would be an alternative to prosecution. Completing the ‘speeding awareness’ session would mean they avoid the automatic three-point penalty on their licence and mandatory £100 fine.

The move comes as new figures show that around 80,000 motorists a year are being caught speeding on Scotland’s roads and motorways, while the number of charges risen steadily over time.

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In 2012/13, there were nearly 65,000 cases, rising to 68,600 the following year and almost 73,000 by 1015/16. A year later the number caught by police or speed traps rose to 74,582, and there were just over 43,000 cases in the first half of 2017/18.

The steady climb in prosecutions has led lawmakers to start looking outside the box for solutions, with speed awareness classes now one of the options being considered.

A Crown Office spokeswoman told the Scottish Mail on Sunday: “The Lord Advocate has granted permission to Police Scotland to commence preparatory scoping work on the possible introduction of speeding awareness courses as an alternative to prosecution for speeding in Scotland.

“A decision on whether to consent to such courses being carried in Scotland will be made after the results of the UK Government’s evaluation into their effectiveness are published.”

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Neil Greig, of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, told the paper: “These figures are disappointing. They underline that we are some way off making speeding as socially unacceptable as drink driving.

“Drivers tell us they never see a police car, so what we are seeing is the growth in automatic enforcement. That’s a missed opportunity because it does not give us the opportunity to educate people about the dangers of speeding.

“We still don’t have speeding awareness courses in Scotland, which are a really good way of reaching hard-core offenders and challenging their driving behaviour in public. Research from down south shows that people who go on these courses are less likely to reoffend.”

Speeding awareness courses have been introduced in England, and cover such topics as the Highway code, discussions on the causes and consequences of speeding and a look at case studies. Participants pay around £100 to attend, but other penalties are dropped.

The courses are only available to those caught speeding by a moderate amount. Drivers clocked above 42mph in a 30 mph zone, or above 86mph on a motorway, automatically face stiffer penalties.

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Motorists are also only allowed to take a course once every three years, meaning serial speeders are unable to avoid a ban if they are caught again.

The courses are designed to be relaxed an informative, and there is no test at the end.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We remain committed to making our roads safer, and are working towards an ultimate vision of zero fatalities and reduced number of serious injuries.”