Motorway speed limits are viewed as 'targets', 7 in 10 drivers admit - and more than half admit to going above them

Most drivers view speed limits as ‘targets’ to meet and admit breaking them on motorways, a survey has found. Some 81 per cent of respondents said they regularly saw people ‘excessively speeding’, with 55 per cent saying there was a culture among UK road users that it was acceptable to speed. Department for Transport figures show 314 people died in crashes on Britain’s roads in 2023 in which a driver exceeding the speed limit was a contributory factor. More than half of drivers surveyed admitted to speeding on motorways 'frequently' or 'occasionally' Department for Transport figures show 314 people died in crashes on Britain’s roads in 2023 in which a driver exceeding the speed limit was a contributory factor The figure was 50 per cent for 20mph roads, 42 per cent for 30mph roads, and 47 per cent for 60mph roads. RAC road safety spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘It’s concerning that our research indicates excessive speeding has become so commonplace, because the consequences are very severe - a fact borne out by government data showing it contributes to 21 per cent of all fatal collisions.