Recent research from the RAC has found that a shocking 81% of drivers say they regularly see people excessively speeding across all types of roads. However, the majority of this was on motorways; four out of five said it was also a common sight on 20mph and 30mph roads.
The issue of speeding was further highlighted by government statistics from 2023, which found speeding contributed to 304 fatal collisions, 21% of total fatalities.
The survey also found a noticeable increase on 20mph roads, with over half of drivers admitting to breaking the limit, up 4% from 12 months ago and 14% since 2018. Motorways remain the most common type of road to break the speed limit on, though, with 58% of drivers admitting they regularly exceeded the 70mph limit.
Alongside exploring the figures, the RAC Report on Motoring also examined some of the reasons behind speeding, with over 70% of drivers saying they saw the limit as a target and were trying to drive as close to it as possible. 55% also said they feel there is a nationwide culture that believes it’s acceptable to break the speed limit, with less than a quarter disagreeing.
One of the most effective ways to combat the prevalence of speeding is to increase the use of average speed cameras, with 39% of road users backing the idea. Radar-activated signs that display your current speed are another popular choice, while 31% would like to see better signage, and just as many believe sat-navs should alert drivers when they are exceeding the 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.”