The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is deeply concerned that latest Department for Transport (DfT) figures show an increase in the number of fatal collisions involving cyclists and children, despite an overall reduction in the number of road deaths following a year of lockdowns.
The DfT published the Reported Road Casualties Great Britain 2020 which shows that last year 1,460 people were killed on our roads, which is a fall of 17 per cent compared with the figure in 2019.
In 2020, there were a total of 115,584 reported road casualties of all severities, which was a fall of 25 per cent from the previous year. For much of 2020, there was a COVID lockdown and the RAC estimated that miles travelled in Great Britain were 21 per cent down on the previous year.
Alarmingly, data from the DfT shows that in 2020, 141 cyclists were killed in road accidents. This was up 41 per cent from 100 deaths in the previous year. The number of children killed on Britain’s roads also increased, from 49 in 2019 to 52 in 2020.
David Walker, Head of Road and Leisure Safety at RoSPA said:“By any measure 2020 was an abnormal year. It is of no surprise that the overall number of road casualties fell. This is in no small part due to less traffic on the roads.
“With traffic levels returning to pre-pandemic levels and some understandable reluctance towards using public transport, we must today continue to focus on the harm to motorists and more significantly, from motorists.
“We welcome the fact that more people have been getting out on their bikes and recognise the reduction in the rate of deaths per mile travelled. However, this should not distract from the shocking fact that more cyclists and more children died on our roads than in the previous year.
“At RoSPA we believe that having more cyclists and pedestrians should not result in an increased number of serious and fatal accidents involving vulnerable road users.
“We must continue to act decisively if we want to maintain the position of British roads being among the safest in the world.”
With travel restrictions in place throughout 2020, there was a huge increase in the number of people electing to use active travel such as walking and cycling.
Here’s the latest Capital Cops column from Chief Superintendent Sean Scott:
The lifting of virtually all coronavirus restrictions now means that most of the features that makes Edinburgh great are starting to re-emerge.
This is in no small way down to the significant sacrifices and efforts you have made over the past 18 months, including getting vaccinated. I would encourage everyone who can, especially the younger generation, who have been a bit slower on the uptake, to get vaccinated.
The city is starting to buzz again, which is so welcome, especially Edinburgh’s world-renowned night time economy.
Our Operation Nightguard deployments have recommenced, with officers patrolling areas around licensed premises and conducting regular checks within to offer reassurance to staff and patrons and deter criminal activity.
We want everyone to be safe and really enjoy themselves so please ensure that, if you are on that long-awaited night out, you drink and behave responsibly and don’t let over-indulgence ruin things.
Other great news is that the Edinburgh Festival is back, albeit on a smaller scale but that still equates to a much busier city centre with hotels starting to fill again.
Consequently, Operation Summer City has commenced, which my officers and staff really enjoy, as it’s an opportunity for them to meet and help people from across the globe in making the most of their visit, representing both the capital and its Police Scotland guardians in the best light possible.
The good news, so far, is that there have been very few issues with the vast majority of those attending Festival events and celebrations doing so in good spirits, while adhering to those remaining COVID precautions.
Our Edinburgh Division social media channels are continuing to provide the public with useful advice and guidance on how to stay safe during the Festival so please ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive these updates.
Alternatively, visit www.scotland.police.uk where all of our personal safety and crime prevention advice is readily available 24/7.
Like me, you’ll have been enjoying the sunny weather over the past few weeks and with that, we have seen larger numbers of bicycles and motorcycles back on our roads. I would encourage all road users to be mindful of cyclists and motorcyclists, giving them plenty of space and time when passing or joining traffic.
Similarly, I would also encourage those who ride bikes of any sort to do all you can to stay safe on the road. This includes wearing high-visibility clothing and helmets, travelling at appropriate speeds and obeying all traffic signals and signage.
Unfortunately, the increase in people using this healthier form of travel can lead to an unhealthy increase in bike thefts, if care isn’t taken around security.
To that end, our Prevention, Intervention and Partnerships Department have been holding crime prevention stalls and bike marking events as part of the national Pedal Protect bike security campaign.
Please think seriously about getting your bike marked and contact your local policing team to arrange it – details are on our website at
The summer comes … and then it goes to be replaced by all our autumn and winter responsibilities such as Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year. However, on top of those, it won’t have escaped your attention that the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow between 31 October and 12 November is on the horizon.
Edinburgh will have no small part to play in these globally important proceedings but I can reassure everyone that, with the eyes of the world on Scotland and its police service, careful and detailed planning is underway to ensure that all communities will still receive the quality, responsive service they need and deserve during that time.
As always, I look forward to working closely with partners for the planning phases of all these policing operations.
Stay safe and I hope you all enjoy a great summer with everything that Edinburgh has to offer.
Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh
With many people heading to the North of Scotland this summer, road policing officers are reminding road users to be safe on country roads.
Constable Neil MacDonald of Highlands and Islands Road Policing said: “The scenery in the area attracts people from all over the world. While we welcome the visitors we would like to remind them that some of the roads are different to what they may have encountered before and to be careful and safe while visiting.”
Drivers are reminded to reduce speed on approach to bends and junctions and look out for blind summits and hidden dips.
Many of the roads are single track and only wide enough for one vehicle. In these instances there will be signs for passing places and drivers are asked to use these responsibly and use them to allow vehicles to pass and overtake.
Chair of The Highland Council’s Tourism Committee, Gordon Adam said: “Driving throughout the Highlands is truly unique and the journey is very much part of the experience, however it does come with some challenges; particularly on narrow single track roads.
“We encourage all to drive according to the conditions of the road. Be courteous to other road users – please check your mirrors regularly and pull in and let the traffic behind you pass.
“Others may be carrying out vital deliveries or travelling to work, if you see a vehicle flashing headlights, it maybe someone attending an emergency. Pull in and let them pass. Take extra care when passing cyclists and walkers, particularly on single track roads and look out for livestock and horse riders.”
Drivers are also reminded to put away any distractions and always fasten seatbelts.
Constable Neil MacDonald said: “Following this advice will help ensure you have a safe and enjoyable trip while helping to play your part in ensuring the smooth and safe running of the roads in the north.”
Trish Robertson, chair of the Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee said: “The Highland Council fully support Police Scotland’s Road Safety campaign to inform visitors of the challenges of driving in rural locations with single track roads.
“Please make use of the nearest passing place and pull to the left to let traffic pass. You may have to reverse to let a vehicle pass. If you see a large vehicle approaching in the distance, be prepared to stop in the next passing place and wait for them to go by you.
“Follow the guidance provided by Police Scotland to ensure that you and other road users can safely enjoy the beautiful Highland scenery.”
Police Scotland have released a new leaflet with advice on Road Safety on Country Roads. The public are asked to share the leaflet:-
In the North of Scotland we are fortunate to be surrounded by stunning scenery, with a road network that enhances the natural beauty of the landscape.
However these roads may be different to what you have encountered before and while we welcome and encourage you to enjoy this beautiful part of the country, we want you to be safe.
Please read and follow these useful pointers to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable trip, and which should help you to play your part in ensuring the smooth running of our roads on and near the North Coast 500 route:
» Please take extra care on rural roads and reduce your speed on approach to a bend – it may be sharper than it appears and you never know what could be round the corner. Also take care when approaching minor junctions and turnings which may be partially hidden. Drive at a speed that doesn’t affect your decision-making ability – this could be well below the speed limit.
» Look out for blind summits and hidden dips. Keep an eye on road signs and slow down as you approach.
» Single-track roads – these are only wide enough for one vehicle and you will see signs for ‘passing places’. If you observe a vehicle travelling towards you – or the driver behind wants to overtake – pull into a passing place on your left or wait opposite a passing place on your right. Do not park in passing places.
» Give way to vehicles coming uphill whenever you can. If necessary, reverse until you reach a passing place to let the other vehicle pass.
» Be prepared for pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists, or farm livestock or wild animals moving from one side of the road to the other. Allow yourself enough time and space to move either into a passing place or off the road.
» Always reduce your speed on the approach to built-up areas.
» Belt up – it could make a crucial difference to you and your passengers in the event of a crash.
» Prepare for the unexpected – you might know the road like the back of your hand, but conditions and other traffic are always changing.
» Put away any distractions. Ignore your phone and do not attempt to set your Sat-Nav while driving.
Road policing officers would like to remind road users, parents and members of the public the importance of ensuring children are supervised and kept safe near our roads.
There have been several collisions across Scotland in recent weeks, resulting in a number of children being taken to hospital having sustained serious injuries.
Around 6.45pm on Wednesday, 7 July, 2021, a two-year-old child ran onto the road between parked cars on Woodland Crescent in Cambuslang and was struck by a car. She was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital with serious injuries.
On Tuesday, 29 June, a five-year-old boy was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh with serious leg injuries after being struck by a car on the A198 towards Tranent High Street.
A four-year-old child sustained serious leg injuries and was taken to Victoria Hospital for treatment after being struck by a car on Broad Street in Cowdenbeath on Monday, 14 June.
On Wednesday, 9 June, a nine-year-old girl was taken to University Hospital Wishaw for treatment after being struck by a car on Hareleeshill Road in Larkhall.
Chief Inspector Mark Patterson, of Police Scotland’s Road Policing Department, said: “Unfortunately there has been a number of collisions involving children recently, which has resulted in serious injuries.
“Children are some of our most vulnerable road users and their safety is paramount, I would ask all parents and guardians to ensure all children are supervised at all times when near the road, and urge motorists to remain vigilant for child pedestrians, especially in built up areas.
“Police Scotland is committed to improving safety on our roads across the country and we continue to work closely with partners on all aspects of road safety.”
Road users in Edinburgh are being asked to consider how safe they are as part of an initiative launched yesterday by road policing officers in the city.
Police Scotland is working with a number of partners, including Lothian Buses, Road Safety Scotland, David Philp Commercials, Cycling Scotland, and Cycle Law Scotland, to encourage everyone to be more aware.
As part of ongoing operational work, it is aimed at helping all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians, and is focused on thinking about distances, blind spots and visibility.
Sergeant Jill Kirkpatrick, of Police Scotland’s Road Policing Team in Edinburgh, said: “We are encouraging everyone to think about how visible and safe they are. I believe that many people are unaware just how much the driver of a large vehicle, such as a lorry or a bus, cannot see because of blind spots. Even a small vehicle has blind spots.
“Visibility is very important in terms of making our roads safer and I would like everyone, including pedestrians, to think about how they are seen, especially if a street is poorly lit after dark. From the cab of a lorry visibility is very different to that of a bus, car, motorbike or cycle.
“I cannot emphasise enough the need for all road users to look out for each other and give each other space. Unfortunately, when a collision happens it is often a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist who come off worse.”
Sarah Boyd, Operations Director, Lothian Buses, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Police Scotland and other key stakeholders to raise awareness around visibility and potential blind spots on our roads.
“Our driver training covers all aspects of road safety including the awareness of cyclists, pedestrians and other road users and we welcome the opportunity to be involved in this campaign.”
Jodi Gordon, Partner at specialist law firm, Cycle Law Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Police Scotland’s safer roads campaign. Every day we speak to individuals who have been injured as a result of a road traffic collision, often caused by drivers who have failed to observe the pedestrian, cyclist and motorcyclist at junctions.
“All road users should be looking out for each other at these pinch points and so anything we can do to help educate people has got to be a positive thing.”
Scottish Fire & Rescue Service Watch Commander David Morrison, said: “The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service welcomes the opportunity to support this initiative and work with partners to improve the safety of all road users in the Edinburgh area.
“By working to improve awareness and encouraging everyone to think about safe distances, blind spots, visibility when on or around our roads we can make our roads safer for everyone.”
Happy School Holidays to all the pupils and teachers!
Whether you’re plotting your stops for the North Coast 500 or working out a driving route for an island hopping adventure, make sure you’re planning a safe staycation.
Roads may be busier than usual with more road users who are unfamiliar with the area:
Plan extra time for your journey Pay attention to speed limits & other road users Follow local COVID-19 restrictions
VisitScotland typically sees around 14 million trips to Scotland by UK residents every year and 134 million tourism day trips1, with 64% bringing their own car2, so it’s anticipated Scottish roads will be busier than ever.
With fatigue being a contributory factor in collisions that kill or seriously injure around 50 people every year in Scotland3, drivers should also ensure they are well rested before setting out on their staycation trips and plan regular breaks.
Minister for Transport, Graeme Dey, said: “We know that drivers are keen to get to their destination but it’s really important they plan ahead before setting off on their staycation.
“Take plenty of rest stops to combat fatigue and be prepared for roads you may not be familiar with. Through this campaign, we’re providing drivers with practical tips and good advice to help them plan ahead and stay safe on our roads this summer.”
The new campaign encourages drivers who are planning a trip in Scotland to be patient as the roads get busier with holiday traffic, and prepare for the unexpected on rural roads. It also highlights that Scotland’s many country and single track roads may require new and different driving skills, particularly for those with less experience of driving in rural areas.
Chief Superintendent, Louise Blakelock, Police Scotland said: “Understandably this year, as a result of the continued uncertainty surrounding COVID restrictions, many people will look to holiday throughout Scotland and elsewhere within the UK in lieu of a foreign holiday.
“This will inevitably result in our roads being far busier than previous summers with greater numbers of cars, motorcycles, caravans and motorhomes travelling across the country and many motorists will be on roads they are unfamiliar with.
“It is therefore essential that road users are considerate and courteous to each other, drive or ride responsibly to the road conditions and road class they are travelling on. Road users must also be mindful of their impact on local communities and park in a safe and considerate manner, when enjoying Scotland’s countryside.
“As always, Road Policing Officers will be patrolling throughout Scotland over the coming months to influence road user behaviour, educate motorists on appropriate driving practices and enforcement action will be taken when necessary.”
Everyone has a vital role to play in keeping people safe on Scotland’s roads this summer. Four in five UK residents (84%) are planning a 2021 staycation, with two of the top ten destinations on the travel bucket list located in Scotland – the Scottish Highlands (43%) and Edinburgh (34%).4
Caroline Warburton, Regional Leadership Director, VisitScotland, said: “As we move into the summer months, better weather and further easing of restrictions, we would like to remind people to plan ahead, whether that be booking their accommodation in advance of visiting, checking ahead to see what is open and available and if anywhere is busy, move on to somewhere that isn’t.
“Through our responsible tourism campaign, we are working with a number of organisations and campaigns, including this new road safety campaign to address issues including littering, access, fires, pollution and parking/transport. We ask everyone to do their bit to #RespectProtectEnjoy our beautiful country this summer.”
The new campaign (running across social media, PR and partnerships) features advice about taking your time, planning ahead and expecting the unexpected on rural roads.
For more information visit roadsafety.scot/topics/driving-around-scotland or check out the Road Safety Scotland Facebook and Twitter (@roadsafetyscot) pages #PlanSmartDriveSmart.
Drugs, gun and knife crime perceived as bigger threats to teenagers than driving despite global stats to the contrary
AA Charitable Trust Rural Young Drivers campaign teams up with Bauer and adam&eveDDB in one-off radio show, Caitlin’s Hour, to highlight the seven in ten fatal young driver crashes happen on rural roads
Caitlin’s Hour, on Hits Radio and Kerrang! Radio, will celebrate the life of Caitlin Huddleston who died in a rural road crash at just 18
Interactive crash map shows riskiest rural routes for young drivers
36 billboards nationwide to showcase campaign to drivers including one near site of Caitlin’s crash
Eight in ten drivers (86%) underestimate the risk driving poses to teenagers, with just one in six (14%) saying they believe it is the greatest threat to their safety.
New research* from the AA Charitable Trust shows that while the perceived risk of driving has not changed significantly (11% in 2008; 15% in 2013; 17% in 2018; 14% in 2021), the perception of drugs being the greatest threat to teenagers’ safety has risen from 31% to 39% since 2008.
Yet globally,road crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers. The latest UK statistics** show 2,223 17-to-19-year-olds were killed or seriously injured in road crashes. And research from the AA Charitable Trust Young Rural Drivers campaign shows rural roads in particular pose a particular danger.
Key aims of the campaign include raising awareness that 71% of fatal crashes involving young drivers occur on rural roads.
Overall, the research shows young drivers (aged 17-to-24) are over-represented in rural crashes by 9%, relative to all roads, with the over-representation highest for those aged 17 (27%) and decreasing with every subsequent year.
Young drivers were also shown to face a higher risk of death (2%) or serious injury (15.2%) when involved in a crash on a rural road compared to an urban road (0.6%; 11.3%).
Edmund King OBE, AA Charitable Trust director, said: “Road crashes are the single biggest killer of teenagers across the world, yet the general perception is that the inside of a car is a relatively safe place for them to be.
“Understanding how, when and where young people are involved in crashes is vitally important to being able to improve their safety.
“Our latest research takes an in-depth look at rural roads and the particular and significant risks they pose to young drivers.
“It is heart-breaking to hear about young people who have died in crashes, but we hope that by celebrating Caitlin’s life in a special radio show, we will be able to raise awareness of the dangers rural roads pose to young drivers.”
Caitlin was just 18 when she died in the crash on July 14th, 2017. She was a passenger in the car, driven by her friend, who was also her brother’s girlfriend, Skye, who also lost her life.
Caitlin, Skye and another friend, were driving to a local Italian restaurant for dinner when Skye lost control of the car on a bend and collided with a van. Neither driver was speeding, but the road was wet, and the coroner said Skye was inexperienced and driving too fast for the conditions. The third occupant of the car and van driver were both severely injured in the crash.
Caitlin’s mother, Sharron Huddleston, has campaigned for road safety for young and novice drivers and their passengers since losing Caitlin.
She said she was not aware at the time of the crash that rural roads were especially dangerous. In fact, just a few months before the crash she was concerned about Caitlin travelling with friends on a motorway journey. Sadly, she didn’t think there was a need to be concerned about the journey the girls were making on the evening of the crash, as the girls were just travelling on local roads.
Sharron Huddleston said: “We are honoured that the AA Trust has chosen Caitlin to be the symbol of their rural roads campaign. I hope the ‘Caitlin’s Hour’ radio broadcast and campaign will highlight to young newly qualified drivers and their parents, the dangers of driving on rural roads after passing their driving test and of the fragility of life too.
“I know Caitlin would want me to raise awareness in her memory, to try to help stop what happened to her, happening to any other young innocent people. This is what we are trying to do through ‘Caitlin’s Campaign’.
“’Caitlin’s Hour’ will let us honour and reflect on her all too short life”.
– July, August, October and November most concerning months for crashes involving young drivers on rural roads.
– Proportion of crashes involving young drivers which are on Sundays is 9% higher on rural roads than on urban roads.
– Single vehicle collisions account for 27% of all young driver crashes on rural roads compared to 16% for drivers of all ages.
– Substance impairment attributed to a young driver in 9% of young driver rural road crashes on Sundays compared to an average of 4% on other days.
Call to action:
– New drivers to get more experience driving on rural roads before going out alone.
– Need graduated learning with a logbook for driving lessons to cover driving on all types of road, at different times of the day, and in different weather conditions.
– Greater emphasis on rural roads in theory and practical driving test.
– Campaign to raise awareness amongst drivers and parents of the dangers.
– Interactive map to be used as a Think! educational resource for schools.
– Raise awareness that those growing up in rural areas are more at risk on the roads than their urban counterparts.
AA Charitable Trust launches interactive map highlighting riskiest rural roads for young drivers
Research shows 71% of fatal crashes involving young drivers are on rural roads
Research shows young drivers over-represented in rural crashes by 9%
Rural crash risk varies by time of day and day of week
Single vehicle rural crash risk varies depending on weather conditions
Substance impairment is more likely to be a contributory factor on Sundays and in the early hours
Worst rural roads for young drivers are the A229 in Kent and the A6076 in County Durham
Research funded by The Road Safety Trust looked at more than 70,000 young drivers involved in crashes on rural roads over 6 years
New research shows for the first time which rural roads pose the greatest danger to young drivers.The study, launched by The AA Charitable Trust, was funded by The Road Safety Trust.
The campaign will help raise awareness that 71% of fatal crashes involving young drivers occur on rural roads.
Overall, the research shows young drivers (aged 17-to-24) are over-represented in rural crashes by 9%, relative to all roads, with the over-representation highest for those aged 17 (27%) and decreasing with every subsequent year.
Young drivers were also shown to face a higher risk of death (2%) or serious injury 15.2%) when involved in a crash on a rural road compared to an urban road (0.6%; 11.3%).
Top 10 most dangerous rural roads for young drivers:
Position
By Collision Density
By Percentage of all Crashes (relative risk)
1
A229 in Kent
A6076 in County Durham
2
A2 in Kent
A704 in West Lothian
3
A3 in Surrey
A419 in Gloucestershire
4
A1 in Hertfordshire
A388 in Cornwall
5
A243 in Surrey
A41 in HertfordshireA846 in Argyll & Bute
6
A414 in Hertfordshire
7
A1 in Wakefield
A5093 in CumbriaA885 in Argyll & ButeA4068 in PowysA436 in Gloucestershire
8
A322 in Surrey
9
A249 in Kent
10
A595 in Cumbria
The proportion of crashes on rural roads on Sundays is 24% higher for young drivers than it is for other drivers. Young drivers are also at a higher risk of a single vehicle collision on rural roads.
The dataset behind the research covers six years of crash data (2013-2018). Analysts at Agilysis and the Road Safety Foundation studied 74,919 young drivers involved in crashes of all injury severities on a rural road.
The results sit behind an interactive map (AA Young Rural Drivers (arcgis.com)), which shows the relative risk of collisions involving young drivers on rural routes across the country.
Map users can see the most dangerous rural roads for young drivers by collision density and as a percentage of all crashes indicating the relative risks young drivers face on these roads compared to other drivers.
Data will be shared with relevant and interested local authorities to help highlight those roads which appear to pose the greatest risk.
Edmund King, AA Charitable Trust director, said: “This ground-breaking analysis shows, for the first time, the most dangerous rural roads for young drivers as well as an in-depth study of contributory factors involved in those crashes.
“Many young drivers and indeed parents are unaware that rural roads pose a specific and significant risk to young drivers and potentially are much more dangerous than motorways or urban roads. 71% of fatal car crashes involving young drivers take place on rural roads. The research should help target driver education at the times and places young drivers are most at risk.
“Our data clearly shows that the rural road risk is highest for the youngest drivers on our roads and decreases with each year of age. This is a clear sign greater education and exposure to rural roads helps alleviate the risks they pose.
“This is just the first stage in what we plan to be an ongoing campaign to really improve the education of young drivers on rural roads.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:“Rural roads are often narrow with blind bends, which is why it’s essential we raise awareness among young people on how to drive safely on them.
“I strongly support the AA in their work to improve the education of drivers. Our award-winning THINK! campaign challenges social norms among younger drivers – including attitudes to speeding and driving on rural roads –and I look forward to working together to prevent further tragedies.”
Sally Lines OBE Chief Executive from The Road Safety Trust, said: “We are pleased to have funded such informative and insightful research. It is important to be able to clearly identify risks to young drivers on rural roads and take steps forward to address those, whether it is through education, infrastructure improvements, or both.
“We want to make UK roads safer for all road users and these findings provide the platform to be able to help reduce the risk of death or serious injury to young drivers.”
James O’Kennedy, Team Leader, South Central Ambulance Service has seen the aftermath of the risks rural roads pose to young drivers during his career as a paramedic.
In his experience, each rural crash involving a young driver which he has attended has had a number of contributory factors including high speeds, slippery conditions around farms, adverse weather and failure to allow sufficient passing space on tight country lanes.
James said: “Attending any road death is always a difficult experience but to attend an incident where a young driver, or those travelling with them, have lost their life is especially traumatic.
“As well as being deeply tragic for those involved, these incidents can have a significant life-long effect on the emergency services personnel who attend the scene.”
Young Rural Driver Crash Fact file:
July, August, October and November most concerning months for crashes involving young drivers on rural roads
Proportion of crashes involving young drivers which are on Sundays is 9% higher on rural roads than on urban roads
Single vehicle collisions account for 27% of all young driver crashes on rural roads compared to 16% for drivers of all ages.
Substance impairment attributed to a young driver in 9% of young driver rural road crashes on Sundays compared to an average of 4% on other days
… despite more than half admitting to breaking the 70mph limit
= Drivers prefer average speed cameras to fixed position ones
= 36% don’t stick to 20mph-limits
More than half of drivers (56%) admit to breaking the speed limit on motorways with a third (34%) of those confessing to having travelled at speeds in excess of 80mph, research from an RAC reveals.
Three per cent say their fastest speed on a motorway was over 100mph while 4% believe their top speed was 91-100mph. While the vast majority – two-thirds (66%) – state their highest speed on a motorway was 71-80mph, a quarter (27%) claim to have driven at 81-90mph.
When asked why they broke the speed limit on a motorway, most drivers (39%) said they were simply following the example set by other motorists, although three-in-10 (31%) say it was because they thought it was safe to travel faster than 70mph.
Other common reasons for speeding on a motorway were: nothing else being on the road (28%); the speed limit being inappropriate (27%) and feeling pressure from other drivers behind (26%).
In terms of what form of speed enforcement drivers think is best for ensuring speed limit compliance on high speed roads where the speed limit is 60mph and 70mph, 58% of the 3,000-plus motorists surveyed for the RAC Report on Motoring said they favoured ‘average speed cameras’ which measure speeds between cameras rather than at a single, fixed location like traditional speed cameras.
Nearly a fifth (18%) felt fixed position cameras are most effective while 12% said it was mobile speed traps, with a similar proportion not offering an opinion.
While average speed cameras are used on a number of A-roads, on motorways they are currently only used in sections of roadworks. More than half of drivers (54%), however, said they would like to see them used in general motorway conditions enforcing the 70mph-limit. Only a quarter (26%) disagreed with this idea, with 18% unsure.
Average speed cameras were also preferred by the majority of drivers for use on 40-50mph limit roads with 46% saying this, compared to 29% for fixed position cameras. On 20-30mph limit roads however, fixed position cameras came out top with 43% of drivers saying they were best and a quarter (25%) opting for average speed cameras, only just ahead of police officers operating mobile speed traps (21%).
While compliance on roads with lower speed limits is far better than the 54% who admit to exceeding the 70mph-limit, an alarming four-in-10 (39%) still admit to frequently disobeying 20mph limits. This rises to a third (33%) on 60mph country roads – statistically some of our least safe roads – and to 36% on 30mph urban roads.
Very worryingly, 11% of limit-breakers claim to have driven above 40mph in a 30mph zone while 10% have exceeded 30mph in a 20mph zone. In the case of the latter, 45% of those who speed at least occasionally say this is because they believe the limit is ‘inappropriate’ for the area or stretch of road in question.
RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “Despite more than half of drivers admitting to regularly exceeding the 70-mph speed limit, road safety statistics clearly show that motorways are our safest roads.
“With so many motorists admitting to driving much faster than they should on the motorway, it was interesting to see such strong support for average speed cameras to be used more widely to enforce the 70-mph limit as opposed to just in roadworks, as is currently the case.
“We believe drivers see these cameras as being very effective at reducing speeds over longer distances and controlling traffic flow as well as being fairer than fixed position ones as they aren’t instantly punished for a momentary transgression.
“Our research shows speed limit compliance on all types of road has improved on previous years, but as our study was carried out during the pandemic we suspect this has partly been brought about by the reduction in the number of journeys carried out for the purposes of commuting – or for other business purposes – where drivers feel greater time pressure and may be more tempted to break the law by speeding.”
Plan extra time for your journey
