More than a quarter of male drivers admit having driven above 100mph, according to new research published to mark Road Safety Week 2020.
Road safety charity Brake said the figure (28%) for male drivers is more than three times the percentage of women admitting this (9%).
The findings come from a survey of more than 2,000 UK drivers and have been released to highlight the issue of excessive speeding with the message: ‘No need to speed’.
Brake stressed the need to slow down in the wet
In partnership with police forces Brake has also revealed police data on the highest speeds over the limits.
The highest excess speed was a driver travelling at 152 mph in a 30mph zone, recorded by the Metropolitan Police. The highest speed overall was 180mph, captured by Nottinghamshire Police in a 70mph zone.
Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake, said: ‘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.’
Drivers caught exceeding 100mph on public roads face a driving ban of up to eight weeks, and a fine of 150% of their weekly income.
Brake said it supports lengthy driving bans for excess speeding, pointing out that stopping distances at 100mph are approximately 182m – the length of nearly two football pitches.
In many conditions, such as in the wet or near cyclists and pedestrians, even driving within the speed limit can be too fast, Brake said.
Its analysis of Government data has found that, on average, there are 11 deaths or serious injuries every day on UK roads where speed – either exceeding the limit or travelling too fast for conditions – is identified as a contributory factor to the crash by the police.
The Department for Transport's Reported road casualties in Great Britain: 2019 annual report, revealed that there were 1,752 reported road deaths during that year.
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