Slow Down! Big Increase In Drivers Breaking the Speed Limit
By Blind Spot DriveBlog
Slow Down! Big Increase In Drivers Breaking the Speed Limit
Speeding is becoming an increasing problem on Britain’s roads, and it’s on rural routes where speed limits are being flouted most. In the wake of the latest RAC Report on Motoring, nearly half of drivers-48%-admit to breaking the 60-mph limit on rural roads, a worrying rise from 44% last year. The more speeding goes up, the more than a mere statistic-it means a probable life-threatening trend. With fatality rates on rural roads standing at 4%, higher than on motorways, the implications of this trend are dire and far-reaching. This article shall look at why more drivers are breaking their speed limits, the consequences, and possible solutions to fix this issue.
Why Are More Drivers Speeding on Rural Roads?
1. Familiarity Breeds Contempt
One of the reasons drivers are commonly known to exceed speed limits when on rural roads is the illusion of familiarity. Many rural roads are in areas people travel regularly, sometimes to and from work, running errands, or even to social activities. Many times, drivers will think they know the road well enough to get away with speeding despite the speed limits. There is “comfort” that easily leads to complacency; the driver may fall into the mistaken belief that he can keep control of himself at a higher speed.
2. Influencing Other Drivers
The RAC Report on Motoring says drivers report one of the most frequent reasons for exceeding speed limits is that they are just going with the flow of traffic. On motorways and rural routes, drivers can easily find themselves subconsciously traveling at the same speed as other traffic, even if that means being over the legal limit. Not only does this collective speeding increase the risk of a collision, but it reinforces a culture where breaking the limit becomes common.
3. Speeding: Not Knowing or Not Caring About Speed Limits
Speed limits are erected due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, road conditions, pedestrian traffic in the area, and the nature of the neighborhood. Drivers may decide that some of these speed limits, especially the 20 mph limits in residential areas, are too low. Because of that, they may disregard such limits if they happen to believe they don’t apply to the road. Of those drivers breaking the 20 mph limit, fully 46% said that they felt the limit was too low for the road on which they were traveling.
The Alarming Rise in Repeat Offenders
Perhaps even more concerning than the rise in the number of speeders is how often people are breaking limits. Meanwhile, the RAC report said 40% of drivers actually acknowledged the fact that they exceeded the speed limit on as many as half of their trips, while 8% claimed they do so regularly. These “repeat offenders” don’t only increase the chances of accidents but set some kind of precedent for other drivers, especially the younger ones, who view speeding as common or even acceptable.
Quote from Simon Williams, RAC Road Safety Spokesman:
This is of particular concern as more people die every year in collisions on rural roads than on any other type. The recent increase in the proportion of drivers admitting to speeding on 60 mph rural roads is extremely worrying.
The Deadly Reality: Rural Roads as Britain’s Most Dangerous
At present, the countryside roads are the most deadly in Britain, accounting for 514 deaths in 2021. Unlike the motorways, which are clearly divided into lanes, equipped with the necessary barriers, and patrolled regularly, most rural roads lack these attributes. Instead, they feature sharp turns, narrow lanes, and all manner of unpredictable obstacles in the form of wildlife or farm vehicles. And to add insult to injury, most rural roads lack lighting, which contributes to the dangers inherent in driving within the countryside at nighttime, when visibility is not very clear.
In contrast, motorways-less than 2 percent of fatalities happen there-are designed and constructed to take high speeds. This striking contrast between infrastructure and the nature of hazards involved makes the behaviors of speeding on rural roads considerably more dangerous.
Not only Rural Roads: Speeding is Widespread both on Motorways and in Urban Areas
Given the phenomenal amount of attention to rural roads, speeding has become anything but confined to rural areas. The RAC report shows that 60% of drivers admit to exceeding the 70 mph limit on motorways. This is a 5% increase compared to 2021, reflecting a trend across different types of roads and areas. Across urban areas, 40% of drivers confess to breaking the 30 mph limit, and 46% disregard 20 mph restrictions-and hence pose a risk to pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.
Reasons for Motorway and Urban Road Speeding
The reasons given for speeding on the motorways are generally similar to those in rural road speeding: keeping up with other drivers. Drivers in urban areas most often cite frustration with what they see as restrictive speed limits as a common explanation. With many urban areas introducing 20 mph zones to promote safety, particularly among pedestrians and cyclists, there is likely friction between drivers who feel constrained and the greater public safety goals of such limits.
Speed Limit Debate Divides Public Opinion
The growing number of speeding incidents and the hazardous conditions they produce have raised growing demands for the imposition of stricter speed limits and their more effective enforcement on rural roads. Nevertheless, there is mixed opinion over reducing speed limits. Almost 48% of all drivers favor lowering some 60 mph limits on unclassified rural roads. Indeed, a few councils are experimenting with such a reduction, including the trial by one local authority of a 20 mph limit in certain areas.
Yet, despite this support for lower limits in certain areas, there is considerable opposition to the extension of such limits everywhere. 52% of drivers would oppose the creation of more 20 mph zones in their local area, especially if they feel it is unnecessary or won’t work. This polarizes a situation that is difficult to assess because there can be no one-size-fits-all solution.
Speeding’s Cost: The Toll on Society and the Individual
The ripple effect of speeding does not stop at the immediate risks that come with the potential for accidents and fatalities. One can also relate speeding to:
Higher Insurance Premiums: Higher insurance rates await drivers who have been issued speeding tickets, with repeat offenders being assessed even higher increases. The true cost of speeding goes far beyond what one pays in fines but affects a driver’s bottom line long term.
Environmental Costs: The faster the vehicles are moving, the more fuel they consume. This amounts to greater emissions, contributing to pollution. Driving within the limits supports the driver in saving on fuel and reducing the carbon footprint.
Emotional and Psychological Impact: Accidents, particularly fatal ones, cause extensive harm to families and society as a whole. Those involved in accidents often suffer from long-term emotional trauma, regardless of whether they were at fault or not.
How to Fight the Speeding Problem: Possible Solutions
Because the menace of speeding is widespread and its roots diverse, a solution can hardly be straightforward. Some measures that have been advocated to stem the rot include:
1. Improved Education on the Risks of Speeding
Drivers can be informed of the risks involved in speeding, especially on country roads. Public campaigns and programs at schools can outline in greater detail the statistics and real-life consequences associated with speeding.
2. Stricter Enforcement and Penalties
More regular speed checks, more cameras, and more punitive measures against repeated offenders may serve as a deterrent to drivers from overspeeding. Evidence from research indicates that the mere presence of speed cameras can bring down the average speed and reduce accidents, particularly at blackspot areas.
3. Clearer and More Appropriate Speed Limits
Where drivers feel that speed limits in certain places are arbitrary or inappropriate, such limits should be reassessed and, if appropriate, revised by the appropriate authorities. Where limits truly reflect the realities of the road and its surroundings, there may be more of a tendency to follow them.
4. Speed Limiters and Adaptive Cruise Control
New vehicles are equipped with technologies that could assist drivers in sticking to appropriate speeds. For example, speed limiters and adaptive cruise control automatically adjust the speed at which a vehicle is traveling to meet the limits on that particular road or based on conditions surrounding it. Encouragement of these features and their adoption as standard would go a long way toward ensuring safer driving on the roads.
Conclusion: A Call for Responsibility on Britain’s Roads
Increased speeding on rural roads, motorways, and urban streets simply stresses the pervasive issue that affects road users at large. Even the personal driver of a policy framer has his contribution towards making roads safer. All it saves are a few minutes during a journey, but the chances of accidents, injuries, and death are increased with increased speeds.
The fight against speeding, or compliance with speed limits, is multicausal and needs a multidimensional approach. Of course, more severe enforcement may be necessary, as readjustment of the speed limits, but it is equally important to promote responsible driving habits and to inform the public about the results of speeding. It is not only an issue of obeying the rules but also of inculcating safety culture and respect for the co-users of the road.
Let us not forget, speed is exciting, but it carries with it risks that cost people and communities their lives. The message should, therefore, be: ‘Slow down, stay safe, and help create a safer road environment throughout Britain.’.
Main Image By Pexels
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