Eight-in-10 (81%) drivers say they regularly see people
‘excessively speeding' on all types of roads, new data from the
RAC reveals.*
While 82% report noticing other drivers breaking the limit
excessively on motorways and high-speed dual carriageways, 80%
say it is also a common occurrence on 30mph or 20mph roads. The
danger of this is brought home by government road casualty
statistics for 2023** which show that ‘exceeding the speed limit'
was a contributory factor in 304 (21%) fatal collisions.
The RAC's research around speed limit compliance saw the sharpest
increase on 20mph roads, where 50% of drivers say they have
broken the limit, up from 46% a year ago. This also reflects a
trend over a longer period, with 36% of drivers in 2018 saying
they frequently or occasionally broke the 20mph limit.
On motorways, drivers admit to breaking the limit more often than
on any other type of road. Fifty-eight per cent of those surveyed
for the RAC's 2024 Report on
Motoring admit to going above 70mph ‘frequently' or
‘occasionally', up from 57% in 2023. The proportion of drivers
who admitted to speeding on 60mph roads also rose to 47% from
45%, and on 30mph roads to 42% from 40% in 2024.
Figures from the RAC's 2024 Report on Motoring also show that
many drivers appear to see the speed limit as a target, with
seven-in-10 drivers (72%) saying they try to drive as close to
the speed limit as possible. But more than half of all drivers
(55%) believe there is a culture among UK road users that it is
acceptable to break the speed limit, with only 23% disagreeing
with this assertion.
The increased use of average-speed cameras is perceived to be the
most popular way to tackle the problem of speeding, with 39% of
drivers backing this idea. The introduction of radar-activated
signs that display the relevant speed limit against drivers'
actual speed is second, supported by 36% of all drivers.
Three-in-10 drivers (31%) would like to see better speed limit
signage and a similar proportion (30%) say sat-navs or in-car
systems should alert drivers when they exceed the limit, a
feature which many new cars already have. Only a quarter of
drivers (26%) would like to see more extensive use of mobile
speed cameras, while a fifth (21%) support more severe sentences
for those who drive above the speed limit.
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “It's concerning
that our research indicates excessive speeding has become so
commonplace because the consequences are very severe – a fact
borne out by government data showing it contributes to 21% of all
fatal collisions.
“It is particularly worrying that so much excessive speeding
observed by drivers appears to take place on 20mph and 30mph
roads as this is where the greatest number of vulnerable road
users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter riders, are.
“We badly need to bring an end to excessive speeding to keep us
all safe. The Government is working on the country's first road
safety strategy for many years, so we hope that tackling this
will be treated as a priority.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
* Research conducted with 2,691 drivers by Online95 for the RAC
Report on Motoring 2024 between 23 March – 15 April 2024. Only
those who hold a full, current UK driving licence, drive at least
once a month and have a motor vehicle in their household took
part. Responses were rim-weighted to be nationally representative
of UK motorists in age, gender, socio-economic groups and all UK
regions. Effective sample size 1,925 drivers.
** Reported road casualties
Great Britain: fatal 4 - speed factsheet, 2023
*** Reported road casualties Great Britain, annual report: 2023
