Posted 12 October 2014

If you are caught running a red light , would I be offered the safety awareness course - I have a clean licence for over 30 yrs.

If I have ran a red light would I be offered the safety awareness course - clean licence for 30 years .
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Dan_82's avatar
[Guide] What do if you’ve run a red light in the UK in 2019

Many of us will have ran a red light at some point in our lives. It can be because of a momentary lapse in attention or road rage causing us to act impatient. No matter the reason, running a red light is a road traffic offence and it’s important to take it seriously if you receive a letter in the post accusing you of committing an offence.


This short guide will cover everything you need to know about dealing with a red light offence in 2019. We’ll cover things like the penalties involved and the potential diversion measures in the law.


If you run a red light in the uk how long does it take to get the ticket?

If you’ve been caught breaking a red light, you’ll receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) within 14 days of the offence being committed. You then have 28 days from the date of receiving the NIP to reply to it. You can admit your guilt and pay the fine or deny the offence (this will result in the offence going to court).


What’s the penalty for running a red light?

The standard penalty for failing to stop for a red light is an £100 fine and 3 points on your licence. You will carry these points on your licence for a period of 4 years.


This can increase drastically if you fail to reply to the NIP, as this is an offence in and of itself. Failing to reply to a NIP could result in prosecution, six penalty points and a maximum fine of £1000.


Red light awareness courses – What are they?

For a first red light offence, most UK regions offer red light offence courses that allow you to avoid the fine and points on your licence. However, the courses cost money to participate in, so you really only get to avoid having the penalty points (which is worth it as penalty points will increase your car insurance premium).


Driver awareness courses are operated by the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS). For red-light offences, they offer the What’s Driving Us? (WDU?) courses. This class lasts 4 hours and is classroom based. The costs of these courses vary depending on location, hovering around the £90 mark.


Red light offence course eligibility – Who can take it?

The red light offence courses are only available for those who are first time offenders, or who haven’t committed a similar offence (and attended a diversion course) within the last 3 years. If you commit a second red light offence within 3 years of the first once, you will not be offered a diversion course as a way to avoid getting points on your license.
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  1. deleted126783's avatar
    Taliban_Army

    I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed … I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed awareness courses offered to those who have been caught speeding slightly over the limit. Running a red light will incur 3 points and and a fixed penalty. One way out, is if you have a relative/family member who no longer drives and say it was them. Just pay the fine and let them have the points. Highly illegal though...... .

    doh

    And then get six points for allowing an uninsured driver to use your car
  2. deleted2629762's avatar
    I used to deliver speed awareness course and there is indeed a course called what’s driving you that covers many many offences, the most common offence that got people on that course according to my colleagues was a red light offence. So as long as you weren’t in Scotland at the time (as Scotland hasn’t signed up to NDORS yet) the likely hood is you will be offered this course. Take it they are full of helpful information and are a general brush up on some of the rules in the Highway Code and the trainers are very well trained to run them and it’s an educational course rather than a telling off course. Most people get something from them in my experience of delivering them. But of course you get the odd person who is just there to avoid the points and you just know they’ll get caught out again at a later date; hopefully before they cause a fatality or serious injury. And anyone can get caught out with a momentary lapse so anyone who says you should get the points is just a fool as these course really do work and reduce reoffending; if they didn’t they would’ve been scrapped by now, just as the mobile phone course was scrapped because too many people were seen driving off whilst on their phones. And you can do each course once every three years (edited)
  3. craigstephens's avatar
    EN1GMA

    Do all traffic lights have cameras to see if you've skipped a red?


    Every single one. So behave yourself.
  4. Taliban_Army's avatar
    I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed awareness courses offered to those who have been caught speeding slightly over the limit.

    Running a red light will incur 3 points and and a fixed penalty.

    One way out, is if you have a relative/family member who no longer drives and say it was them. Just pay the fine and let them have the points. Highly illegal though......

    .

    Conrad_Mason's avatar
    He's not confused, a red traffic light offence is one of the offences covered under the awareness course scheme. I've been on one myself, for driving through a red traffic light.
  5. exmouthred's avatar
    Taliban_Army

    I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed … I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed awareness courses offered to those who have been caught speeding slightly over the limit. Running a red light will incur 3 points and and a fixed penalty. One way out, is if you have a relative/family member who no longer drives and say it was them. Just pay the fine and let them have the points. Highly illegal though...... .



    Some areas run Safety Awareness Courses which include other offences.
  6. smithy4481's avatar
    We're you caught by a safety camera or stopped by an officer ?
    If you have a clean license the offence of contravening a red light is suitable for an NDAC course in lieu of points and a fine.
  7. slimy31's avatar
    While it's not related to jumping a red light, I got caught speeding and it worked out cheaper to take the points and fine. The points made no difference to my insurance and the fine was less than the course.

    Obviously I drove like a granny for the subsequent few years, but 3 points is so commonplace now that insurers don't seem to care.
    AX31's avatar
    Same. Had a horrific day at work driving late one night with cruise control on, got diverted somewhere not familiar and flash. 3 points. Wasn’t actually offered a course I don’t think as it was on a motorway. Insurance couldn’t care less and made no difference.
  8. Delbert.Grady's avatar
    As cootuk2 says, it depends on your local Police, the rules vary between different authorities.
    It also depends on how long the light had been red when you went through it, in my area you may be offered the course if it was less than 2 seconds;
    Red Light Offences

    Seconds Into red Process
    1 to 1.9 seconds DAS
    2 to 2.9 seconds Fixed Penalty Notice
    Above 3 seconds Court Hearing
  9. deleted10492's avatar
    You will probably be invited to attend a driver improvement. Workshop which costs approx £120 these workshops cover a wide range of offences from driving without due care and attention through to red light offences like yours. The morning is usually spent classroom based filling in a workbook whilst the afternoon is spent in a car with an ADI and 2 other course participants.you will be given usually 1 hour behind the wheel in which you spend time working on the problem that got you on the course The day usually concludes at 16.30. Providing you complete the course your name is sent to local police force who in about 7 days will send a no further action letter out... Source I formally worked as an approved driving instructor..

    (edited)
  10. ibblackberry1's avatar
    I stopped at a red light, police car behind me, I got distracted 30 seconds later, thought the light had turned green but it was still red and drove through it.

    Police pulled me over asked me what I thought I was doing, took me into back of the car for questions etc. I was generally clueless of running the red. Told me the fine etc but then said it sounded like a genuine mistake and they would let me off this time.

    It was a genuine mistake, and I have a clean licence, so great result and great judgement from the police in that instance. Doesn't help you much unfortunately.
    Gingerdan's avatar
    Great judgement from the police?

    You ran a red light, clearly stated you don’t have a clue and weren’t paying attention.

    Think it’s poor judgement from the police 
  11. deleted1030622's avatar
    Only clean because you have never been caught before? (_;)
  12. jackvdbuk's avatar
    Taliban_Army

    I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed … I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed awareness courses offered to those who have been caught speeding slightly over the limit. Running a red light will incur 3 points and and a fixed penalty. One way out, is if you have a relative/family member who no longer drives and say it was them. Just pay the fine and let them have the points. Highly illegal though...... .



    yes as that shamed MP found out the hard way.
  13. tallpete33's avatar
    Taliban_Army

    I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed … I think you'll find that you are getting confused with the speed awareness courses offered to those who have been caught speeding slightly over the limit. Running a red light will incur 3 points and and a fixed penalty. One way out, is if you have a relative/family member who no longer drives and say it was them. Just pay the fine and let them have the points. Highly illegal though...... .



    Chris Huhne
  14. iscom's avatar
    It deepens how you ran a red light I once ran a red light and was stopped by a policeman said he would report me but I explained that if I had stopped, the truck behind me could not have stopped when I heard he brakes screeching I my foot down, the police man thought the truck would have stopped in time ( ya me acting as hes brake) it when to court when the policeman claimed there was no truck but when being questioned by the magistrates he got he notes wrong and they did not believe him so for running the light I was fined £14 and no points.
    alasrati's avatar
    Any punishment for the rozzer lying through his teeth in court?
  15. SILLYCLINT's avatar
    I hope so, as well as a fine and points.
  16. teh.arn's avatar
    Shouldn't be offered anything; you should get points and/or a warning.
  17. deleted676212's avatar
    Possibly - depends on your local authority - so you should get the offer after the NIP
  18. deleted1086014's avatar
    Author
    Thank you for you posts - filled the NIP form in and sent it back - so will have to too just wait and see.
  19. deleted1086014's avatar
    Author
    Thank you Delbert - it was recorded as 1 second.
  20. justanothercid's avatar
    was it camera that caught you then?
  21. EN1GMA's avatar
    Do all traffic lights have cameras to see if you've skipped a red?
  22. rdtorres's avatar
    iscom

    It deepens how you ran a red light I once ran a red light and was … It deepens how you ran a red light I once ran a red light and was stopped by a policeman said he would report me but I explained that if I had stopped, the truck behind me could not have stopped when I heard he brakes screeching I my foot down, the police man thought the truck would have stopped in time ( ya me acting as hes brake) it when to court when the policeman claimed there was no truck but when being questioned by the magistrates he got he notes wrong and they did not believe him so for running the light I was fined £14 and no points.



    What?
  23. Uncle_Arthur's avatar
    Why would you be offered a course if it was me that jumped a red light?
    Jump your own red light... Lazy sod
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