Speeding
The faster a vehicle is driven, the less time there is to react to hazards, and, if a collision takes place with another vehicle, cyclist, pedestrian or inanimate object, the more powerful the impact and the greater the likelihood of death and serious injury.
The law
You must not drive faster than the speed limit for the type of road and your type of vehicle. The speed limit is the absolute maximum and it doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive at this speed in all conditions.
The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three penalty points added to your licence. This coupled with the very real risk that you could yourself or someone else shows that speeding really isn’t worth the risk.
Our advice
- Always keep to the speed limit and slow down near to schools and colleges.
- Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you – count two seconds between you and them as this is your braking space in a crisis. Double this distance in wet conditions.
- Only overtake on a single carriageway road if it is safe to do so within the speed limit.
- On motorways and dual carriageways always stay in the left hand lane, unless overtaking.
- Always approach bends with caution, as you never know what is just around the corner.
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