New data reveals 80% of drivers say they often see people ‘excessively speeding’ on UK roads

80% of drivers say they regularly see people ‘excessively speeding’ on UK roads, new data from the RAC has revealed.

After the Government ‘s road casualty statistics showed that ‘exceeding the speed limit’ was sadly a contributory factor to a total of 304 (21%) fatal collisions in 2023, the RAC spoke to 2,691 drivers to gather their experiences about driving on roads nationwide as part of its annual Report on Motoring for 2024.

82% of drivers surveyed noticed others breaking the limit excessively on motorways and high-speed dual carriageways, while 80% said it was also a common occurrence on 30mph or 20mph roads.

In comparison to previous years, the sharpest increase in speeding figures was found on 20mph roads, where 50% of drivers said they have frequently or occasionally broken the limit – which is up from 46% a year ago, and 36% from 2018.

It’s motorways where drivers admit to breaking the limit more often than on any other type of road, however, with 58% admitting to going above 70mph in 2024.

Figures also showed that many appear to see the speed limit as a target, with seven in 10 drivers (72%) saying they try to drive as close to the speed limit as possible, while 55% believe there is a culture among UK road users where it’s acceptable to break the speed limit.

“It’s concerning that our research indicates excessive speeding has become so commonplace because the consequences are very severe,” explained RAC road safety spokesperson, Rod Dennis.

“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 are, such as pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter riders.

“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.”

Read more: First images released of new BBC drama series from Happy Valley creator filmed in Yorkshire

Featured Image – Rawpixel