Speeding
FACT: Driving too fast was the main cause of 1,200 deaths and more than 20,000 serious injuries on built up roads in the UK last year.
Statistics show the main cause of road crashes is the combination of inappropriate or excessive speed with some form of human error. Speeding is bad driving. Government research shows:
- Around 1 in 3 deaths are speed related.
- 7 out of 10 drivers regularly break the speed limit - usually by about 5mph.
- An average family car travelling at 35mph will need an extra 21 feet (6.4 metres) to stop than one travelling at 30mph.
- If you hit a cyclist or pedestrian at 35mph the force of the impact increases by more than a third than at 30mph.
- Reducing your speed by an average of 1mph will cut accident frequency by 5 per cent.
- On urban roads 76 per cent of cars will exceed the speed limit if the road is clear.
- It’s not actually safer to drive faster at night. Casualty rates are double that during daylight hours due to the higher speeds because of less traffic, higher alcohol consumption, tiredness and of course the darkness.
Temptation
Whether you’re a new driver or have been driving for years sometimes a clear road or wanting to impress a girl or your mates can make it really tempting for you to speed. Don’t risk it, what you might think is harmless fun can end in serious consequences. You may lose your license, your job and even risk losing your mates, another road users’ and even your life for that moment of madness.
Check out Nick’s story here >>>
Remember: The faster you drive a car the longer it’ll take you to stop. If you don’t stop in time then you were travelling too fast. The faster you hit something, the greater the effect of that impact. Speed is a major cause of road crashes. The speed limit is there for a reason.
Speed limits
A speed limit is the maximum speed you can drive at, but you have to use your common sense as the speed limit isn't always the safe speed.
Driving too fast doesn’t always mean going over the speed limit. It can mean driving at a speed that's not safe for the road conditions e.g. driving at 30mph along a busy school with lots of people around is way too fast.
Below is guide to the different speed limits:
- Built up areas - Cars: 30mph
- Single carriageways - Cars: 60mph
- Dual carriageways - Cars: 70mph
- Motorways - Cars: 70mph
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