Hundreds of thousands of motorists are caught speeding in the UK every year, but is there a way of telling if you are one of them?

The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three penalty points added to your licence.

In certain circumstances, drivers will be eligible to attend a Driver Education Course, which will incur a cost, but you will not have penalty points added to your licence.

You will usually be alerted to the fact you have been caught speeding within two weeks of the incident by receiving a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP).

7 speed camera myths

But is there a way of checking if you have been caught speeding to avoid the shock of receiving the NIP in the post?

How do you know if a speed camera caught you?

Unless you have been stopped by the police, there is no way of knowing for sure if you have been caught speeding.

You may notice a flash from a camera when you're speeding, but that doesn't necessarily mean you've been caught.

The flash may have caught another driver or could have come from somewhere else - like a cars headlights.

@uktoday_ Think your car insurance has you covered? Watch this to be sure. #carinsurance #carinsurancetips #uknews #uknewsheadlines ♬ original sound - UKToday 🇬🇧 Newsquest

How to check if you've been caught speeding

There is also no way of checking if you've been caught speeding, according to RAC, unless you’ve been stopped at the roadside by the police.

The automotive experts added: "The only way to be 100% sure if you’ve been caught speeding is to wait for a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) to arrive in the post."

How long does it take for a speeding fine to come through?

"If you're caught breaking the speed limit, the image recorded by the camera will scan your car’s number plate to get the registered address from the DVLA," the AA explains.

RECOMMENDED READING:

A fine or Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) should arrive within 14 days of you being caught speeding.

It may take longer to arrive if the vehicle you were driving is not registered to your home address, the RAC continues.

That is because "the fine or NIP will always be sent to the address of the registered keeper of the vehicle".