The statement is journalistic licence which doesn't reflect the reality of Magistrate's sentencing guidelines:
"Drivers could be slapped with a £5,000 fine for failing to follow a simple rule in hot weather. Part of Rule 237 of the Highway Code states that a driver must keep their car 'well ventilated' to avoid drowsiness. If you ignore the guidance and subsequently lose control of your vehicle, you risk being landed with the maximum fine in the most serious cases."
For offences for which fines can be imposed depending on the offence, there are five levels each of which has a maximum. Namely:
Level 1: £200
Level 2: £500
Level 3: £1,000
Level 4: £2.500
Level 5: Unlimited.
However, magistrates are given sentencing guidelines for offences of average seriousness, which can be increased or decreased depending on any aggravating or mitigating circumstances of the offence and the offender. The amount of any fine fixed by a court must be such as, in the opinion of the court, reflects the seriousness of the offence. It will invariably be far below the maximum. (EG: Hitchhiker standing on a slip road to cage a lift: £2,500. Motorist who stops to pick them up: £2,500 + 3 penalty points)
An overarching principle id determining the level of fine to be imposed on an offender is that the court is based on what might be termed 'equal misery', in that it must take into account the circumstances of the case including, in particular, the financial circumstances of the offender so far as they are known, or appear, to the court. Someone existing on welfare benefits or in a low paid job with little or no disposable income will be in a very different position from someone on £100,000 a year, and the actual fine imposed will reflect that.
Motoring offences appropriate for imposition of fine or discharge – Sentencing
And just to make life more interesting, to ensure that offenders from all walks of life aren't discriminated against on the grounds of who they are, magistrates have to taken note of the 'Equal Treatment Handbook, which runs to 547 pages and makes interesting reading:
https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Equal-Treatment-Bench-Book.pdf
Many, if not most, speeding offences are picked up on camera. Lucky for some!
The notice of intended prosecution is sent to the registered keeper, who must disclose who the driver is. Failure to provide such details will mean that the fine (and points) will be imposed on the registered keeper. Fair enough so far, but supposed the driver is a Premier League footballer? The registered keeper, as often as not, will be the Club (A PLC), so they are sent the letter of intended prosecution. If they don't disclose the driver's name (which of course they won't), the Club will receive a heavy fine, and whatever the level is, it will be well within their means to pay. The driver keeps his clean licence, free to offend again and again, till maybe one day, they get stopped by a cop. Then just do as one well known former manager did: Get 'Mr Loophole' to get you off by saying you had an upset tummy and urgently needed to get to a loo.
Could make me cynical.