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There are some people for whom the speed limit is more of a rough suggestion than a firm rule. They are well-paid, they have fast cars, and they are in a hurry. However, they are also paying the price for their poor driving decisions, because by clocking up the penalty points from speeding convictions, they are also pushing their insurance sky high.

But who are these people, what are they driving, and what is it costing them?


The speeders

Research from Moneysupermarket has revealed that the professionals most likely to have speeding convictions are operations directors, followed by surgeons and sales directors.

The rest of the top ten is made up of:
1. Operations Director
2. Surgeon
3. Sales Director
4. Managing Director
5. Chartered Surveyor
6. Chief Executive
7. Commissioned Officer
8. Financial Adviser
9. Hospital Consultant
10. Barrister

At the other end of the spectrum, café workers, building society clerks, students and driving instructors are least likely to be caught speeding.

The research also reveals the cars driven by those most and least likely to hold a conviction for speeding. Porsche drivers top the list, followed by motorists behind the wheel of Aston Martins, Jaguars and Bentleys. At the other end of the scale the owners of Daewoos, Fiats and Suzukis are least likely to speed behind the wheel.

Previous research from Diamond last year also put Surgeons and sales managers in the frame, although their top three also included chartered surveyors.

Why?

There's an argument that some of these professions require long-distance driving, where people may be tempted to push their luck after a long day. However, that argument clearly holds less water when trying to work out why a managing director or surgeon is caught.

In these cases, the comparison site reckons it's more likely because these are wealthy people driving expensive cars, and the temptation to go faster may prove too much.

The cost

Those who are caught going over the speed limit are likely to be paying a hefty price for it. AA Insurance says that a motorist's first speeding offence can cost four times the typical £60 fine because his or her car insurance premium will rise over three years.

Historically, many insurers ignored a first offence but according to the AA, few now do so. That's because insurance companies are becoming smarter at identifying risk and charge premiums accordingly.

They found that after three points the average premium rose almost 10%, and for 6 points it rose almost 25%.

The advice is clearly to be in a bit less of a hurry, and to take care to stick within the speed limit. The AA says that if you should get three points, it's well worth considering paying £90 and taking a speed awareness course in return for a clean licence (if you are given this option), because it will cost you less in the long run.

Of course, if you're a surgeon or a chief executive, rolling in cash, then it may be less of a concern.