POLICE are to give more speed offenders the opportunity to attend an educational course instead of driving license endorsements.

Speed seminars were introduced in 2001 for those caught committing low level speed offences - now rules over which drivers qualify have been relaxed, meaning more motorists than ever will qualify.

The day long workshops are designed to educate offenders on the dangers of breaking speed limits and police say they are better at curbing re-offending rates than license points.

Casualty reduction officer, Pc Barry Gardner, said: "The changes concerning which drivers qualify to be offered a place on the seminar will change this summer and we're obviously expecting an increase in the number of people attending.

"The biggest being that it's thought people are less likely to commit a speeding offence again - everybody benefits from that."

The equation currently used to decide if a course can be offered is to calculate ten per cent of the speed limit, plus an extra 4mph - so someone doing up to 37mph in a 30mph could qualify as may someone doing up to 59mph in a 50mph limit.

Under the new rules the additional speed on top of the ten per cent of the speed limit will be boosted to 6pmh, meaning a driver caught at 39pmh in a 30mph or 61mph limit in a 50mph limit could escape points.

Ruth Gore of Safer Roads Humber, which carries out speed enforcement locally, said: "The speed awareness scheme gives drivers a chance to reflect on how they can prevent the issue which cause them to offend from happening again.

"The course is run by police and a driving instructor and there is a chance to discuss further driver training, we do understand for most drivers it is about a lapse in concentration.

"There is lots of participation, we talk about the Highway Code and the difference a higher speed can make if you are unfortunate enough to have a collision."

Scunthorpe Telegraph