What do I do if I get a speeding notice but I was not driving?

The first notice through the door is usually a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) with a Section 172 request attached. It is addressed to you as the registered keeper, not as the accused — the police are asking who was driving, because a camera photographs the car, not the person. For a camera-detected offence the NIP must be sent within 14 days of the offence; if it was not, the prosecution cannot proceed. It goes to the address held on the DVLA database, so keep your V5C up to date.

Answering the Section 172 request

• You must name the driver. Section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 puts a legal duty on the keeper to identify who was at the wheel — including where that person is you.
• Failing to respond is worse than the speeding. Failure to provide driver information carries a fixed penalty of £200 and 6 penalty points, against £100 and 3 points for the speeding itself.
• "I do not remember" is generally not accepted. If you genuinely cannot say — a company fleet vehicle, for example — explain carefully what records you hold and what steps you took to find out.
• Do not simply ignore it. Failing to identify the driver is one of the routes that sends a case straight to the magistrates' court.

What happens to the person you name

The notice is redirected to them, and they get the standard options: a £100 fine and 3 penalty points, or, if eligible, a speed awareness course costing around £80–£100 with no points. Eligibility usually requires not having attended a course in the previous 3 years, and a speed within the range set by that police force. There are 28 days to pay, accept the points or elect to be heard in court.

Electing for court is a genuine right, and the route to take if the driver disputes the reading — the prosecution must produce the calibration certificate, and the device's operating records can be requested through court disclosure. But weigh the risk: magistrates are not bound by the fixed penalty and fines are means-tested, so even a Band A speeding fine is 25–75% of weekly income, plus costs and the victim surcharge. Ignoring the notice altogether is the worst option — conviction in your absence brings a fine of at least 1.5 times the fixed penalty, plus costs, and an arrest warrant if it goes unpaid.