Driver clocked at 180mph

SHOCKING STATISTICS REVEALED AT START OF ROAD SAFETY WEEK

A MOTORIST was recorded driving their vehicle at speeds of up to 180mph on a stretch of the M1 in the East Midlands, according to the findings of a road safety survey.

The study into the most extreme speeds recorded by police in a 12-month period last year was carried out by the charity Brake.

Its results have now been published to mark national Road Safety Week, which runs until Sunday.

The revelations make for shocking reading, with the 180mph vehicle merely the worst offender on a long list.

The report also highlights one case in the Metropolitan Police area where one motorist was clocked doing 152mph on a road where the speed limit is 30mph, which was the biggest breach of a speed limit recorded in the study.

It also highlights that 44 people were killed and a further 143 were seriously injured in crashes during 2019 where speeding was a contributory factor.

And 18 per cent of drivers, which accounts for more than one in six people on the road, admitted to driving at speeds in excess of 100mph in a poll of 2,000 motorists.

People aged 25 to 34 seem more likely to do more than 100mph according to the survey, with 33 per cent in that age bracket admitting to having driven at that speed.

Overall, 28 per cent of male drivers also admitted to having done more than 100mph.

Joshua Harris, Brake’s director of campaigns, said: “There is no excuse for breaking the speed limit and these figures highlight the grossly excessive speeds of some drivers who show complete disregard for the law and people’s safety.

“None of us should be put in danger by the high-risk behaviour of others when we’re getting about on roads, and that’s why, this Road Safety Week, we are asking everyone to join us in our call that there is no need to speed.

“Many drivers drift over limits by mistake, but our research shows that a shockingly large number of drivers, particularly men, break speed limits excessively.

“We want all drivers to remember the daily disasters that are due to speed, think about the victims, slow down and reduce road danger.”

Roads minister Baroness Vere said: “Speeding is illegal, reckless and puts people’s lives at unnecessary risk. For this reason, there are tough penalties and strict enforcement measures in place for those who disobey the law.

“We’re working hard to change attitudes that lead to speeding, including through our Think! campaign which targets young men.”

Neil Greig, policy and research director at charity IAM RoadSmart, said: “There is no excuse for these ridiculously high speeds which are symptoms of pure criminality rather than simply bad driving.

“The majority of UK drivers understand the need for speed limits and do their best to stick with them. Regrettably appealing to the better nature of the sort of drivers highlighted in these terrible case studies is not going to work. For high-end speeding, the best solution is high profile policing of the type we saw in London during lockdown.”

Speeding is illegal, reckless and puts people’s lives at unnecessary risk

Roads minister Baroness Vere