Roads suffer speeding epidemic
Discussion
Roads suffer speeding epidemic
Britain is in the grip of a "speeding epidemic" with 15 million motorists breaking the limit most days.
A report published by the RAC revealed that 55% of drivers admit to regularly speeding on the nation's roads, an increase of 10% in a year.
The 2005 RAC Report on Motoring found that 57% of drivers break the motorway speed limit and almost two-thirds break 30mph speed limits - despite speed being the cause of one-third of all fatal accidents.
The RAC said current enforcement levels have little impact and the most common reason given for continued speeding is the slim chance of being caught.
Motorists told the RAC that the greatest deterrents would be a highly visible traffic police presence and draconian penalties including instant 12-month bans and in-car 'black-box' tracking systems to detect speeding offences.
Overall, 42% of motorists said they would stop speeding if they thought they faced an immediate 12-month ban, while 48% would change the way they drive if their car was fitted with an electronic tracking device, but only a third would respond if they faced a one-month ban.
RAC said the extreme measures highlighted by motorists were not practical, but recommended better detection, penalties and education to halt the trend.
It suggests graduated speeding penalties so worst offenders receive harshest punishments; mandatory driver re-training and education after a speeding ban; in-car, 'black-box' electronic tracking as part of penalties for repeat or serious offenders; and more investment in high visibility traffic policing.
The 2005 RAC Report on Motoring surveyed 1,074 UK adults in November 2004. Drivers in the north were more likely to admit to speeding with 60% saying they did it most days.
People in London (52%) and Scotland (51%) were least likely to admit to speeding most days. Men admitted to speeding more readily than women, with 63% of men confessing to driving too fast compared with 44% of women.
[url]http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050207/344/fbwzl.html[/url]
Britain is in the grip of a "speeding epidemic" with 15 million motorists breaking the limit most days.
A report published by the RAC revealed that 55% of drivers admit to regularly speeding on the nation's roads, an increase of 10% in a year.
The 2005 RAC Report on Motoring found that 57% of drivers break the motorway speed limit and almost two-thirds break 30mph speed limits - despite speed being the cause of one-third of all fatal accidents.
The RAC said current enforcement levels have little impact and the most common reason given for continued speeding is the slim chance of being caught.
Motorists told the RAC that the greatest deterrents would be a highly visible traffic police presence and draconian penalties including instant 12-month bans and in-car 'black-box' tracking systems to detect speeding offences.
Overall, 42% of motorists said they would stop speeding if they thought they faced an immediate 12-month ban, while 48% would change the way they drive if their car was fitted with an electronic tracking device, but only a third would respond if they faced a one-month ban.
RAC said the extreme measures highlighted by motorists were not practical, but recommended better detection, penalties and education to halt the trend.
It suggests graduated speeding penalties so worst offenders receive harshest punishments; mandatory driver re-training and education after a speeding ban; in-car, 'black-box' electronic tracking as part of penalties for repeat or serious offenders; and more investment in high visibility traffic policing.
The 2005 RAC Report on Motoring surveyed 1,074 UK adults in November 2004. Drivers in the north were more likely to admit to speeding with 60% saying they did it most days.
People in London (52%) and Scotland (51%) were least likely to admit to speeding most days. Men admitted to speeding more readily than women, with 63% of men confessing to driving too fast compared with 44% of women.
[url]http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050207/344/fbwzl.html[/url]
It's like they live in another world. I listened to the numpty spokesperson from Rospa this morning on Breakfast TV and she was going on about how if motorists could drive a little bit slower then when they hit someone or something the consequences will be less severe (!!!!). 
Apparently having an accident is inveitable and when you least expect it all of a sudden an accident can happen.
Then she went on to advise people to drive in 3rd gear rather than 5th gear which will be easier on the car, pedestrians and even the driver themselves. What on earth had she been smoking???
Apparently having an accident is inveitable and when you least expect it all of a sudden an accident can happen.
Then she went on to advise people to drive in 3rd gear rather than 5th gear which will be easier on the car, pedestrians and even the driver themselves. What on earth had she been smoking???
What is it about the ABD that causes it to fail to attract motorists?
Whilst i agree in principle with much that they say i have never been able to bring myself to join their ranks as they always seem to state the case badly and emotively.
Having said that, eight years membership of the RAC is about to cease if they can't represent me more accurately - the issue is NOT speeding it's driving at inapropriate speeds!
Whilst i agree in principle with much that they say i have never been able to bring myself to join their ranks as they always seem to state the case badly and emotively.
Having said that, eight years membership of the RAC is about to cease if they can't represent me more accurately - the issue is NOT speeding it's driving at inapropriate speeds!
Surely the 'conclusive evidence' they should draw from this is that speed limits are either not signposted well enough or are out of date.
On roads that used to be conclusively NSL - ie 60 on single carriageway, 70 on double carriageway with pylon lighting - limits have been randomly slashed to 50, 40 or in some cases 30, yet the speed cameras present have been more widely signposted than the speed limit itself. When people cannot find a roadsign, thy by default travel at a speed that is appropriate to the road and conditions. You can bet the speed camera is set a good 10mph below that, so that's easy pickings and a constant source of revenue.
The motorway limit is so out of date it's untrue. The rest of Europe have higher limits, and if you look at our motorways the only people within the limit are trucks and people towing things. The 70mph limit was set in response to people like AC, Jaguar and Aston Martin testing racing cars down motorways at speeds of up to 180mph. That is a daft speed to do on public roads. However, the speed limit of 70 was chosen as a speed most of the cars on offer couldacheive at the time - ie a stable cruising speed. These days that speed is (designed to be) more like 80 or 90, and TBH I reckon the limit on motorways should be 100mph, and, as on the French Autoroutes, everyone finds their rhythm within that limit, keeps in the left hand lane and overtakes when they come across someone slower.
On roads that used to be conclusively NSL - ie 60 on single carriageway, 70 on double carriageway with pylon lighting - limits have been randomly slashed to 50, 40 or in some cases 30, yet the speed cameras present have been more widely signposted than the speed limit itself. When people cannot find a roadsign, thy by default travel at a speed that is appropriate to the road and conditions. You can bet the speed camera is set a good 10mph below that, so that's easy pickings and a constant source of revenue.
The motorway limit is so out of date it's untrue. The rest of Europe have higher limits, and if you look at our motorways the only people within the limit are trucks and people towing things. The 70mph limit was set in response to people like AC, Jaguar and Aston Martin testing racing cars down motorways at speeds of up to 180mph. That is a daft speed to do on public roads. However, the speed limit of 70 was chosen as a speed most of the cars on offer couldacheive at the time - ie a stable cruising speed. These days that speed is (designed to be) more like 80 or 90, and TBH I reckon the limit on motorways should be 100mph, and, as on the French Autoroutes, everyone finds their rhythm within that limit, keeps in the left hand lane and overtakes when they come across someone slower.
I wonder how many people debating this issue have ever driven on roads such as the French Autoroutes or to a lesser extend the German Autobahns. Sure, many UK motorways and dual carraigeways are badly designed with too many poorly planned junctions but other motorways would be ideal for a much higher limit.
p.s. use of the word 'speeding' should be banned, it's widely misused and rarely do you find two people using it and actually meaning the same thing. Exceeding the speed limit past a school, shops or houses is VERY different to driving fast on a motorway. On a motorway drivers should be allowed more latitude to use their own judgement but in built up pedestrian areas is should be an absolute limit.
p.s. use of the word 'speeding' should be banned, it's widely misused and rarely do you find two people using it and actually meaning the same thing. Exceeding the speed limit past a school, shops or houses is VERY different to driving fast on a motorway. On a motorway drivers should be allowed more latitude to use their own judgement but in built up pedestrian areas is should be an absolute limit.
Lets face up to the matter speeding exists. However, the way in which the authorities are using underhand tactics to catch the alleged motorist breaking the limits is only a causation of grievience. Using uncalobrated speed detection devices instead of the traffic officer will never work to reduce road safety. The traffic officer's role is to look at the real issues which most motorists will agree on. These issues being dangerous driving etc.
DoctorD said:
I wonder how many people debating this issue have ever driven on roads such as the French Autoroutes or to a lesser extend the German Autobahns.
Many, myself included, who post on this website have much experience of European driving.
UK has the lowest motorway speed limit in Europe, except Sweden, Norway, Poland, Moldova and Ireland.
Most Euro countries have 130 kph limits.
ABD (www.abd.org.uk) estimate it's costing us hundreds of millions of pounds in lost time.
I would support a move from 70 mph limit to 80 mph limit.
williamp said:
'round our way, we have signs on the back of busses:
"speed will kill" and
"speed OR safety" (ie you cannot have both)
Will
Rather makes a mockery of the fact that the fastest roads [ i.e. motorways ] are the safest roads, doesn't it ?
Interesting to note that a substantial fraction of car related deaths are kids running out into the road and drunken pedestrians also heading out into the road.
Both of which we don't hear about in this speed related campaign.
madlan said:
Roads suffer speeding epidemic
Motorists told the RAC that the greatest deterrents would be... an instant 12-month bans and in-car 'black-box' tracking systems to detect speeding offences.
[url]http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050207/344/fbwzl.html[/url]
Hmmm, interesing. If I thought I faced an instant 12 month ban if caught speeding then I reckon the only thing to do would be to toddle down to my nearest cop shop and simply hand my licence in now. No point in putting off the inevitible.
Then I'd be free to drive around without a licence, which is of course, what the vast majority of people will do the minute they get banned.
What planet are these people from????
Its a well known fact that banned drivers tend to be the same ones that have no regard for the law and are quite happy to drive around without a licence.
Andy
williamp said:
'round our way, we have signs on the back of busses:
"speed will kill" and
"speed OR safety" (ie you cannot have both)
Will
Round my way they say on the back 'Being late isnt a crime but speeding is' which I am sure was little relief to the little boy one of them ploughed down recently...
Rowland, you SHOULD join the ABD!
Their website is misleading, possibly in an attempt to attract attention.
Their newsletter is mostly well-argued and carefully written.
You only have to look at this thread to see the rabid diatribe form the other side of the argument - that rational motorists don't lose the plot entirely when faced with such junior-school logic, shock journalism and cynical extortion by once respected authorities, is a tibute to their calmness and rationality.
Their website is misleading, possibly in an attempt to attract attention.
Their newsletter is mostly well-argued and carefully written.
You only have to look at this thread to see the rabid diatribe form the other side of the argument - that rational motorists don't lose the plot entirely when faced with such junior-school logic, shock journalism and cynical extortion by once respected authorities, is a tibute to their calmness and rationality.
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