New government data has revealed a ‘shocking’ rise in speeding cases during the first national lockdown, with many massively exceeding speed limits…
Shocking Rise in Speeding
New government data has revealed a ‘shocking’ rise in the number of speeding cases during the first national lockdown. In the second quarter of the year, some 53% of cars exceeded the speed limit on motorways. On National Speed Limit (NSL) single carriageways, some 17% of drivers exceeded the speed limit. During the same period of 2019, these figures stood at 52% and 10% respectively. There was also an increase on roads with 30mph limits, with cases rising from 56% in 2019 to 63% om 2020. Whilst road traffic levels essentially collapsed when restrictions were announced in March, speeding cases rose to their normal levels when measures were eased.
A Freedom of Information request, submitted by the RAC, also discovered that the number of drivers exceeding 80mph or faster was higher in 2020 than in 2019. It claimed that the speeding was a “very unwelcome by-product” of the government’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic. One driver was caught doing 151mph on the M62 motorway in Yorkshire. Another was caught doing 134mph in a 40mph zone in North London.
Disobedient Drivers
Nicholas Lyes, RAC head of roads policy, commented on the new government figures. He said, “this data confirms what we previously suspected; lower traffic volumes sadly led to some shocking levels of speed limit disobedience, particularly on 30mph limit roads. This dangerous behaviour unnecessarily put lives at risk during the first national lockdown when more people were walking and cycling”. He continued, “empty roads should not be an excuse to drive dangerously; and it would be frightening to think one of the legacies of the lockdown is a complete disregard for speed limits and other road users’ safety”.
Whether similar levels of speeding will be observed during the second national lockdown isn’t yet clear. Traffic is down by around 30% during weekdays, meaning the drop in traffic is nowhere near as dramatic as it was during the first lockdown. This means it may simply be impossible to reach the dizzying speeds some irresponsible drivers reached earlier in the year. For the sake of everyone’s safety, drivers or otherwise, let’s hope so.
Nearly A Fifth Of Drivers Admit Doing More Than 100 Mph – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/nearly-a-fifth-of-drivers-admit-doing-more-than-100-mph/
Second National Lockdown: Car Use Has Declined By 30% – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/second-national-lockdown-car-use-has-declined-by-30/