Record number of drivers caught speeding in North Yorkshire

And police officers in the region said they see the devastation that speeding causes to people's lives and their families day in day out.

The data from the Ministry of Justice shows 7,218 motorists caught by North Yorkshire Police were convicted in courts for speeding offences in 2022 – up 22 per cent from 5,937 convictions the year before and the highest since comparable records began in 2014.

Overall, 75 per cent of the 9,608 motorists in North Yorkshire who had court proceedings for speeding ended up being convicted of the offence.

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Most people caught speeding are handed a £100 fine and either penalty points or invited to participate in a retraining course.

But cases involving serious incidents or motorists denying exceeding the limit often end up in court, where fines can reach a maximum of £2,500 for speeding on a motorway.

Speaking on the figures for the region, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "These figures go to show that our methods are effective at capturing those that choose to speed on our 6,000 miles of roads and if you are caught speeding, you can expect to face the consequences of your actions.

"It is simple, to avoid a fine or a conviction, please do not speed on our roads.

"We see day in and day out the devastation that speeding causes to lives and to the families of those affected and these figures show that it will not be tolerated.

The number of drivers caught speeding in North Yorkshire increased by more than 20 per cent (Image: Newsquest)

"We have a range of tactics - from enforcement to education - that we use to help protect all road users and keep our roads as safe as possible.”

Across England and Wales, 236,480 motorists were convicted in court for exceeding the speed limit in 2022. It was a 16 per cent rise from 203,545 the year prior and was the highest since at least 2014.

The RAC Foundation said the rise in convictions across England and Wales makes for "grim reading" as speeding plays a significant part in road collisions.

RAC road safety spokesperson Simon Williams said: "The fact the number of court convictions has risen in just a year seems to imply an increase in the proportion of serious cases having to be dealt with in legal proceedings."

"While it is clearly wrong to be just a few miles an hour over the limit, arguably it is prolific excessive speeders who are putting people’s lives in danger. An increase in these drivers will have frightening consequences for the safety of our roads."

Mr Williams added while it is positive to see drivers are being caught for breaking speed limits, it would be better if they just stuck to them.