'Save speed for the racetrack' in wake of damning DfT research - News

• Latest Department for Transport (DfT) statistics has laid bare Britain's speeding problem
• Up to 18.3 million motorists could be breaking the speed limit on 30 miles per hour (mph) roads
• TrackDays.co.uk is urging motorists tempted to put the medal to the metal on race circuits, not public roads

At TrackDays, we are urging motorists to save the speed for the racetrack in the wake of research conducted by the Department for Transport (DfT), which has worryingly revealed that potentially millions of UK motorists are breaking the speed limit on Britain's roads.

A 2021 DfT study on vehicle speed compliance used Automatic Traffic Counters (ATCs) to observe over hundreds of thousands of cars and HGVs on roads where there is a 30 miles per hour (mph) speed limit. Here, they discovered that over half (51%) of car drivers travelled in excess of the designated speed limit. This means that of the 35.9 million people with a full driving licence in the UK, potentially 18.3 million drivers could be breaking the speed limit.

But it's not just those driving cars who are guilty of breaking the speed limit, with just under half (44%) of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers also found to be guilty of driving too fast on 30mph roads. Meanwhile, over a half (52%) of light commercial vehicle (LCV) drivers were also caught driving too fast.

And although speed compliance is more likely to occur on motorways, with the average free flow speed for cars clocking in just under the national speed limit at 69 mph, worryingly, over one third (35%) of cars are still driving more than 5% above the limit, according to the same DfT study.

We think this a worrying trend, which should be addressed with tougher punishments and smarter educational initiatives. Dan Jones, operations manager at TrackDays.co.uk, says: "Excessive speed kills or injures thousands of road users every year, and yet latest DfT speed statistics have once again laid bare that Britain still has a very serious speeding problem. We would call on the government to do more to tackle this issue once and for all, whether that be through sterner deterrence or speed education courses."

"Having worked in the driving experience industry for many years, I know full well the thrill of speed, but when you balance this against the risk of punishment from the authorities and most importantly, risking your own, and other road users' safety, then the risk is simply not worth it. That's why we will always urge drivers to save the speed for the racetrack, where, in a safe environment, thrill seekers can test cars to the limit, under the tutelage of a trained supervisor."

Visit our Driving Experiences page today on the TrackDays website to browse and book from a range of Supercar Experiences, Racing Car Driving Experiences, High Speed Passenger Rides and much more from dates on our Driving Experiences Calendar, or purchase one of our open Gift Vouchers.