Thousands of motorists were caught last year as the number of convicted speeders reached record numbers in the county.

New figures show that 7,327 motorists caught by Sussex Police were convicted in courts for speeding offences last year.

This was up 49 per cent from just 4,903 convictions in 2021 and is the highest since comparable records by the Ministry of Justice began in 2014.

The RAC Foundation said the rise in convictions across England and Wales makes for "grim reading" as speeding plays a significant part in road collisions.

Overall, 70 per cent of the 10,465 motorists in Sussex who had court proceedings for speeding ended up being convicted of the offence.

Most people caught speeding are handed a £100 fine and either penalty points on their licence, a mandatory retraining course or both.

But cases involving serious incidents or motorists denying exceeding the limit often end up in court, where fines can reach a maximum of £2,500 for speeding on a motorway.

"The fact the number of court convictions has risen in just a year seems to imply an increase in the proportion of serious cases having to be dealt with in legal proceedings,” said RAC road safety spokesperson Simon Williams.

"While it is clearly wrong to be just a few miles an hour over the limit, arguably it is prolific excessive speeders who are putting people’s lives in danger. An increase in these drivers will have frightening consequences for the safety of our roads," he said.

He added while it is positive to see drivers are being caught for breaking speed limits, it would be better if they just stuck to them.

Nicholas Mantel, head of Churchill Motor Insurance, said: "Speeding is one of the main causes of road accidents and our research suggests that the problem is getting worse."

"Many drivers accidentally creep above the limit rather than speeding deliberately," he added.

"While most people receive a fixed penalty notice for speeding, more serious or contested cases end up in court. This data shows that drivers who appear in court for speeding are usually convicted, and the fines are deservedly steep."