MOTORISTS will be able to travel at speeds of up to 39mph in a 30mph zone without being prosecuted in a move to "educate" drivers.

Humberside Police is increasing the limits of which drivers are prosecuted by an extra two miles per hour.

The force wants to see more speeding motorists attend a Speed Awareness Course (SAC) to educate drivers, instead of being fined and issued with penalty points on their licence.

Under present rules, drivers are fined once they reach a speed of ten per cent over the limit, plus between two and four miles per hour.

Currently drivers caught at 37mph and above in a 30mph zone are prosecuted, and those travelling under 37mph are given the opportunity to pay £75 to attend a SAC instead.

But police intend to increase the threshold next month to use a 10 per cent plus four to six rule, so drivers caught at speeds up to 39mph will not be prosecuted.

Chief Inspector Darren Downs, head of the Roads Policing Section at Humberside Police, said there are "massive" advantages to prosecuting fewer drivers.

He said: "There are massive benefits to sending drivers on speed awareness courses.

"Firstly we know that approximately 80 per cent of people who attend these courses never reoffend.

"Therefore, by educating the drivers we reduce accidents and casualties on the road, and that is our main aim.

"Also, the seminars create money to be ploughed back into road safety initiatives.

"By sending people on courses the fee they pay to attend is used to pay the trainers, for the venue and the remainder is ploughed back into reducing casualties through initiatives including Safer Roads Humber, Bike Safe, young driver education, and the RIDE scheme.

"Also we are reducing the amount of people who go through the criminal justice system so relieving the courts which are under pressure."

Last year approximately 40,000 people were caught speeding, of these around 50 per cent, equal to 19,708 drivers, were eligible to attend seminar courses.

Police say under the new guidelines this will increase to around 80 per cent of drivers being offered the chance to attend the course.

Chief Inspector Downs said the new rules do not give motorists a licence to speed.

He added: "We are not saying to drivers they can travel faster and get away with it.

"Those travelling at ten per cent plus six miles per hour can be rehabilitated and educated.

"Those travelling at much greater speeds will be dealt with in court.

"I'm 100 per cent behind it, we need to divert people from custody.

"We are doing it in the criminal world by using restorative practices and this is about bringing it into the traffic law world.

"Bringing more diversions from prosecution should be welcomed by drivers, let's face it, no driver wants three points on their licence."

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) sets the guidelines and states the minimum speed motorists can be prosecuted at is ten per cent plus two and the maximum is ten per cent plus six.

It is up to each force to choose which rules to use, it is not known what other forces use.

The speed courses are held by Safer Roads Humber – the regional road safety partnership working to reduce crashes and casualties, which will employ more trainers and hold more courses once the new rules are in force.

Ruth Gore, from Safer Roads Humber, said: "It is often said that speed cameras are a revenue stream but this is not the case – we are trying to save lives and this has happened within our area, casualty and accidents at the speed camera sites are down.

"We want to educate about the dangers of speeding and I think this shows that our focus is more on education than enforcement – which has proved controversial."