FAQ’s
Communications (e.g. letters, e-mails and telephone calls) in relation to the following issues will not be accepted as a reason for speeding or contravening a red light and will not receive a reply
| I was unfamiliar with the road | The road was clear late morning/night |
| The car behind forced me to speed | I have a clean driving licence |
| I did not see the signs | I was distracted |
| I was late for an appointment | It is my first offence |
| The camera may be faulty | I did not know cameras operated in the area |
Why have I received the Notice of Intended Prosecution/Section 172 Notice?
You have received the Notice of Intended Prosecution/Section 172 Notice as you are the owner/registered keeper of the vehicle shown on the form or you have been nominated as the driver of it at the time of the alleged offence.
What do I need to do with the Notice of Intended Prosecution/Section 172 Notice?
Read the form carefully and follow the instructions below
The quickest way to respond is by responding online
Completion by an individual – Log into the portal using your Notice number, PIN and Vehicle registration number. Click on Respond to notice and follow the instructions/answer the questions to either confirm being the driver or provide the full name and residential address including postcode (not a c/o address) of the individual driving.
Alternatively complete the paperwork you have received and return to the Central Ticket Office at the address detailed on your paperwork
Completion by a company - It is the responsibility of the Company Director/Secretary to respond. Log into the portal using your Notice number, PIN and Vehicle registration number. Click on Respond to notice and follow the instructions/answer the questions to provide the full name and residential address including postcode (not a c/o address) of the individual driving.
Alternatively complete the paperwork you have received and return to the Central Ticket Office at the address detailed on your paperwork
We will write to the driver in due course.
What happens if I ignore this request for information?
If you do not return the form at all, you will have committed the offence of failing to provide information to identify the driver regardless of what you did, or did not, know about who the driver may have been. If you do not respond to the Notice the case will be referred to the Traffic Prosecutions Unit for consideration of prosecution.
What information will I need relating to the driver?
Important please note - It is an offence to knowingly and wilfully provide a false statement in response to a Notice of Intended Prosecution. Upon conviction you may be liable to a term of imprisonment and or a fine.
What happens next?
I have made an admission:
If you have admitted to being the driver, you should expect further correspondence detailing information necessary for you to comply with the disposal of the offence.
I have provided the details of another driver:
The details you have supplied will be processed and a Notice will be sent to the person who you have said was the driver. You should not forward your Notice of Intended Prosecution to the nominated driver.
Can I go on a Driver Awareness Scheme course (DAS)?
Once we receive your response your eligibility for a DAS course will be checked and you will be contacted if you are eligible.
If you are not eligible for a Driver Awareness Scheme course a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty will be sent to you which will result in a fine of £100 and 3 penalty points on your driving licence.
You may be summonsed to court if:
My notice arrived more than 14 days after the alleged offence. Shouldn’t I have been notified within that time scale?
The initial Notice of Intended Prosecution will be issued within 14 days of an alleged offence to the registered keeper of the vehicle, the details of which are held by the DVLA. If you have received a Notice outside of this time period, it is likely to be because the DVLA has not been informed or updated their records of an address change; you have been nominated as the driver by the registered keeper or third party; you lease the vehicle from a lease company who will be the registered keeper; you are a new owner or have hired the vehicle. The registered keeper has an obligation to keep the DVLA up to date with their current address. The registered keeper not updating their address with the DVLA does not negate the notice
Please note that updating your Driving Licence with the DVLA does not update your vehicle registration document
What if I don’t know who was driving?
If you are the registered keeper of the vehicle, you have a duty to identify the driver of the vehicle. Failure to provide the information is a separate offence and may result in the registered keeper, nominated driver, or company being taken to court which can lead to a fine of up to £1000 and 6 penalty points.
The vehicle was being driven by one of my employees, what do I do next?
As the employer you have a duty to identify the driver of the vehicle in question. Your company car logs or records should help. Do not pass the notice to the driver, nominate the driver via the online portal or complete section B and section C of the paper form. Failure to provide this information may result in your company being taken to court which can lead to a fine of up to £1000.
I do not believe that I have committed the offence, what should I do?
You must still complete the driver admission part of the enclosed form. You are only admitting to being the driver, not to the offence. We will not enter into any correspondence about the offence until we know we are dealing with the driver. If you wish to challenge the allegation, you will have the opportunity to do so by refusing any offer of a course or a Fixed Penalty and asking for a court hearing. We strongly advise you taking legal advice before doing so.
Where can I find legal advice?
You should seek legal advice from a reputable and qualified legal advisor.
There is a great deal of advice on the internet regarding safety camera speed enforcement, much of which is incorrect. Most sites carry a disclaimer to absolve them for any actions you take as a result of their advice.
Can I return my documents via e-mail?
No, we are unable to accept S172 forms by email you can however admit to being the driver or nominate another person via the online portal, alternatively you can complete, sign and return your form to us via the Royal Mail.
If you require any further information
Please refer to our website – www.dorsetroadsafe.org.uk