Should the speed limit on motorways be raised/revewed?

Question

It's well over due. Even in Spain they have a variable speed limit that goes upto 90 when its straight & uncongested.

Answer 1

Undoubtedly it should. A higher limit would help to relieve congestion which would be safer.



Journey times could be reduced thus relieving tiredness, especially for longer journeys.



Drivers may even become more alert which would be very much more safe.



Speed is a safety factor, always has been and always will. Can there be anything more absurd than "speed kills" ? Obviously it doesn't, it is the foolish driver that kills and in the overwhelming number of cases without speed being a factor.



Greater flexibility of speed means a greater degree of safety available.

Answer 2

The 70MPH limit was origianlly set up in the 1960s by the then Transport Secretary Barbara Castle, who didn't even have a driving licence. Most importantly, this was a knee-jerk reaction after reports of accidents, and rumopurs of high-speed car tests on the motorways. Plus. the limit was set at a time which &0MPH was probably the top speed of your 1960s car, which back then, would have 1960s drum brakes, 1960s tyres, 1960s steering, 1960s suspension, and 1960s everythng else. perhaps another problem was that people had no trianing/experience of fast-moving traffic back then.



Fast forward to 2006. We no longer drive Ford Anglias in huge numbers. we all commute in the Focus, or the Vauxhall Astra, etc. Most cars seen on the orads are no older than 15yrs old, and they all have disc brakes, some with ABS, they've all got better tyres, better engines, and improved suspension over their 1960s predecessors. They're also much safer should you jhave a crash, too. We may not have motorway driving in thge test, but they're been with us for ages, and some training is available as well.



70MPH may have been sensible for older cars, but tiems have changed. Many parts of the network could safely have an 80, or perhaps 90MPH limits. Besides, if you have a car that isn't comfortable at those speeds, just stay in the left-hand lane, and let the faster traffic pass safely. Simple as that.



There may be conditions where lower speed limits are approprite, perhaps in poor weather, or in roadworks. It's all about common sense really.

Answer 3

The current speed limits hardly seem "democratic" when so many people, given the choice, break them, try driving at 70 on any UK motorway. Driver error is probably a much more significant factor in most accidents but doesn't have the same potential for raising revenue. There is also the very dangerous and flawed assumption that by sticking to the speed limit drivers are safe.



Safety Camera Partnerships MAY have good intentionsions but the adverts put out by my local organisation are condescending and grossly insulting to drivers, particularly young drivers. It doesn't help their cause at all.



Decent training would be a far more effective answer. Drivers would then be better equipped to use their initiative on speed safely.

Answer 4

90 is just stupid. If something happens in front of you, you have no control over your vehicle to avoid an incident on short notice. No way. I think 65 is sufficient (since 65mph actually means 75). Plus there'd be more aggresiveness on the road, since there are usually only two lanes, but you'd have people driving at about 4 different speed ranges, since some people are not comfortable over 65. So your slow lane would have some old guy going about 60 and then you'd have people passing him at about 70... with all the people going 80, 90, and 100 crowding behind them and possibly colliding if visibility or traction is poor.



No, it's a terrible idea. Maybe out west where there's no trafficand you can see for miles, but if there's any traffic or entrances and exits, hilly terrain, or otherwise limited visibility, 65 is plenty fast enough.

Answer 5

No. I remember when the 70mph limit was imposed. An experiment was carried with one car being allowed to drive at whatever speed it wanted and a second which had to stick to the new 70mph limit. They drove from Leeds to London on the M1. The unregulated car won by a few minutes, 10 if I remember correctly, but was involved in 5 near collisions. It just isn't worth it without even taking into account the environmental arguements.

Answer 6

80-85MPH would be ideal speed. Many accidents on Motorways aren't cused by people driving too fast, they are caused by people driving too slowly. This can be much more dangerous than too much speed. E.g In good visibility and with minimal traffic everybody is cruising along the motorway at 75-85MPH, perfectly safe speeds given the conditions. But one person is doing 50MPH. This one car suddenly becomes a brick wall in the middle of a road where everybody else is doing 25-35MPH. Now the last time I checked nobody had ever built a brick wall in the middle of the road for 2 simple reasons, its stupid and its dangerous!! Therefore because the one car isn't keeping up with the traffic and is causing an obstruction everybody has to take evasive action to avoid that one car.



The only problem I believe we have is that in very wet conditions with poor visibility, you still see maniacs driving over the speed limit. In these conditions a lower speed limit may be in order. I'd recommend a speed limit of 85MPH in normal conditions, but lowered to a limit of 55 in conditions where visibility requires fog-lights according to the highway code. I would like to say earlier than this but because it would be so difficult to judge which limit you should be going by it has to be set at a point that you would need rocks in your head not to be abiding by it.

Answer 7

unusually good question.

Nowadays , most people in government institutions are brainwashed or threatened into conforming to the politically correct views of their superiors.Meaning they can no longer speak their own minds.But before blair took office many road traffic police officers wrote articles suggesting that the motorway speed limit be raised.opinions varied usually 80-90mph.

Hopefully, responsible drivers would apply the correct speed to conditions of the roads and the higher speeds when safe would reduce bunching, therefore lubricate the flow of traffic.(sooner your parked on your drive , you cease to be part of the problem)

Of course , there are drivers who will abuse the increased speed limit, but they already speed if they want to!

Most continetal countries have sections of motorway with speed limits in excess of 70 with no increase in accident rate and relative reduction in congestion.Massive improvements in handling ability of motorcars with an increasing amount of safety equipment fitted as standard combined with road surface science improvements mean that trials of increased m/way speed limits are overdue.

Unfortunatley , with a govt obsessed with control and desiring a shift to public transport , i genuinely dont believe it will be possible because they would rather increase congestion so as to justify more stealth taxes from motorists and for private transport to be less desirable.If safety at speed is a concern, make it an important and essential part of the driving test.

Answer 8

I think 80mph in the dry and perhaps 65 in the wet would be a good compromise. I feel that it is unfair to ban slower drivers though. If some one wants to drive at 50 as long as they aren't hogging the outer lanes, then there's no problem. I do think that drivers who think they own the outer lanes bexcause they are driving at way over the speed limit should be heavliy penalised.

Answer 9

I think a lot of accidents on the motorway take place because of slow moving vehicles not necessarily people going too fast. I think the inside lane should be for lorries and slow drivers with a recommended speed of 60mph, the middle lane should be 70mph and those of us who like to get places a lil bit quicker the outside lane should be 80mph.



Firstd1mension you proved my point, its slower drivers that cause the accidents! If people want to drive that slow they should use b roads not motorways.

Answer 10

of course it should , sometimes it is safe to do far in excess of 100 mph whereas I have been in fog on the motorway when I have been petrified driving at 20-30mph, too scared to go fast and dreading some idiot coming too fast behind me

I would much rather see lit up speed limit signs along the motorway which change in regards the volume of traffic and the weather .

Answer 11

I live in virginia, the speed limit changes from 55 to 65 in some places, most of the cars go over 80mph, Of course I do to... Godbless radar detectors cuz... shh dont tell but I go around 110....=D hehe..



If they changed the limit to lets say 80 it will be good, because most people are to scared to go faster.

Answer 12

No because our speed limit is currently 70mph but most drivers seem to go at leat 80-90mph. If the speed limit was raised people would just go at over 100mph all the time like complete prats.

Answer 13

yes, I find when I drive above 70 it is due to being able to keep up with the rest of the trafic, however I do find that when it is not safe to drive at this speed other drivers and I do tent to slow down. But I also belive that new drivers should have some time spent on moterways during driving lessons. That would also make driving safer. and get rid of slow drivers ie, tractors and rover drivers.

Answer 14

There are states where some speed limits are 80 and 85 mph.

Answer 15

in some ways yes if its a clear nite then should be no restrictions but 9 x outa ten ur stuck in traffic and lucky to hit 40 so its swings and roundabouts i think 70mph is a nice cruising speed but usually im hittin 80 - 90mph

Answer 16

Should definitely be raised. Who drives at 55 mph (NYC speed limit) anymore? Besides, cars are much safer these days with mandatory airbags/seat belt laws.

Answer 17

No, 70mph is fast enough. You don`t have much control over a car at speed, especially with 4/5 people inside.

Answer 18

Speed limit! What speed limit?

Answer 19

why not follow the germans!, cant spell it but prenounced autobarn, no speed limit but everyone knows there lane and sticks to it.. it is the most non accident fast road in the world yet the fastest.

Answer 20

I'm in Canada and the limits here are snails pace compared driving in the UK. 50k's and less in town. 60 - 80k on roads out of town. 100k on motorways. I miss the UK for driving.

Answer 21

Most definitely.



Two problems, the dumb policy of trying to slow everyone down in the foolish and mistaken idea that makes everything safer.



The other, is the preponderance of foolish and indisciplined driving.



Still it should be raised.

Answer 22

only to 85, because i don't like th thought of the mugs in civics, corsas and mercedes ML's not paying attention while driving and killing us.



120 would be fine if the world was perfect.

Answer 23

People should be required to sign a waiver to drive at unlimited speed, then when they crash and die we just sweep the whole mess into the land fill. That would help reduce the idiot population.

Answer 24

I think there should be a separate lane for drivers who have passed a highspeed proficiency test.

Answer 25

Well we have 70mph limit in the UK, it seems quite fast enough to me. Driving faster, you really have to concentrate and you're on other traffic before you or they know it, its just too much. My opinion only.

Answer 26

Yes of course it should be raised. But dont hold your breath.



It will soon be a criminal offence to own a car...........



Except if you are a politician with a fleet of Jags...

Answer 27

70 mph

Answer 28

no 90 is way to fast

Answer 29

Yes it should, I always do 90mph

Answer 30

no, because people drive fast enough anyway. give them more leeway and it'll be crazy out there!

Answer 31

yeah defo should be raised

Answer 32

left how they are!