More than 295,000 drivers caught speeding last year

That’s according to new Freedom of Information data obtained by Confused.com, which suggests drivers in the region collectively paid out at least £29.5million in fines for speeding last year, based on the minimum fine a driver must being £100.

According to the data, police forces in Yorkshire recorded motorists hitting speeds of up to 163mph in the region last year, suggesting drivers were taking advantage of empty roads during the nation-wide lockdown.

In South Yorkshire police caught 65,492 offenders.

The number of drivers caught breaking the speed limit in Yorkshire last year accounted for 13 per cent of the total UK speeding offences last year. In total, a whopping 2.2 million motorists were caught driving above the speed limit, hitting speeds of up to 163mph in some regions. While this is a ten per cent drop compared to 2019, it’s still considerably high considering that the UK spent much of the past 12 months being advised to stay home or stay local. Unsurprisingly, offences dropped in April following the announcement of a UK-wide lockdown, although 84,452 motorists were still caught travelling above the speed limit during this time. However, this almost doubled to 165,609 in May when restrictions started to ease. And offences continued to increase over the summer, peaking at 225,297 in July.

If a driver is caught speeding, they’ll be on the receiving end of a minimum £100 fine. This means that UK drivers collectively paid out an eye-watering £200 million in fines last year.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Liam Hoden, editor.