With road traffic laws in Northern Ireland taking into consideration all aspects of everyday driving, motorists may, at some stage, find themselves in the position where they need advice from an experienced solicitor because they have received a motoring fine (Fixed Penalty). H McPartland & Sons have many years of experience in offering comprehensive advice and representation for drivers who find themselves subject to investigation or prosecution because of a fixed penalty motoring offence.
What are the types of fixed penalties?
Endorsable Fixed Penalty Notices
In Northern Ireland, most driving offences will be dealt with by way of a fixed penalty notice issued by a police officer. Examples of offences that are commonly dealt with in this manner are
- speeding,
- defective tyres,
- failure to wear a seatbelt and
- driving on the hard shoulder of a motorway.
Each offence carries mandatory penalty points to be sanctioned on the offenders driving license. All parts of your full driving license must be handed in to your local police station within seven days of the offence. The police will then pass this on to the Fixed Penalty Office. A driving license is returned in around four to six weeks. Also, a fine will be payable by the offender between £60 and £200 and must be paid within 21 days. Penalty points will remain on the license for 3 years.
Non-endorsed Fixed Penalty Notices
This might be in the case of a parking offence for example. Notices for these offences carry fines of £30 and must be paid within 21 days. With a non-endorsed penalty, the motorist does not have to surrender their driver’s license.
Conditional Fixed Penalty
A conditional Fixed Penalty (for example, being caught speeding on camera) carries a fine of £60. These notices are to be paid within 28 days and surrender the full driving license, including the paper part, to the Fixed Penalty Office along with payment. Driving licenses are returned by first class post within five weeks.
Driving with No Insurance
If an offender is guilty of the offence of “Driving or causing or permitting a person to drive a motor vehicle whilst uninsured” 6 penalty points will be endorsed on the drivers’ license and the offender should expect to receive a fine of £200.
Disputing A Fixed Penalty
The only way to appeal against the issue of an endorsable fixed penalty notice is to request a court hearing. If the fixed penalty is ignored then the fixed penalty process will cease to continue, and the matter will be dealt with by way of prosecution.
At H McPartland & Sons, we have many years of experience of handling motoring offences on behalf of our clients, at all levels of the criminal courts in Northern Ireland. We have built up a considerable body of knowledge in this area of law so please contact one of our solicitors today for advice on your case and to see how we can assist you.