Speeding is a choice. So are the consequences
- Rebecca Morris
- Feb 7
- 1 min read
This morning, I spoke on BBC Radio Five Live about Steve Coogan avoiding a six-month driving ban by claiming "exceptional hardship" - after he was clocked at 97mph in a 70mph zone.
He argued that the ban would prevent him from filming the new series of 'The Trip' - a BBC 2 sitcom with Rob Brydon, in which the pair travel the country by car reviewing restaurants.
As a result, his ban was reduced from six months to just two.
What message does this send about road safety? Would other drivers not in the public eye have received such leniency? Meanwhile, families who have lost loved ones to dangerous driving face real hardship every single day.
How is missing out on filming a TV show an exceptional hardship? Driving is a privilege not a right. Drastically exceeding the speed limit and putting lives in danger was his choice - yet instead of a meaningful deterrent, he received a reduced ban.
