I’VE got six points on my driving licence for speeding, plus I was flashed by a speed camera in Newcastle recently. But I haven’t had an accident for 45 years. My next door neighbour is similar: no accident for about 45 years, but he’s been done for speeding.

So I looked on the internet to see if there were any studies into the relationship between speeding and accidents. What I found was amazing. An article in The Scotsman newspaper refers to a Department for Transport study which showed that people convicted of speeding are five times less likely to be involved in accidents than other drivers.

This makes a mockery of the Government’s policy of banning those convicted of minor speeding offences from driving.

A fine of £50 or so for exceeding the speed limit is fair enough.

Also, anyone found doing 60mph in a built-up area with excessive alcohol in their blood should be banned. But banning people from driving because they regularly do 35 or 40mph in a built-up area when they know it is perfectly safe is a complete nonsense.

And the above Department for Transport study seems to confirm this.

Ralph Musgrave, Durham.