6.6 Attitudes to speed limits

Underlying many motorists attitude to speeding is the belief that speed limits are not necessarily high enough on some types of roads. The majority feel the speed limit should be linked to the risk of accident on the individual road rather than a blanket limit on all roads in that category.

On limits themselves, some seven in ten think the speed limit should be raised to at least 80 mph on motorways. Motorists do however agree with current limits on urban roads at 30 mph (supported by two thirds) and between 50-60 mph on country roads - with 60 mph supported by half and 50 mph by a third of motorists.

There is no apparent support for a blanket introduction to reduce the speed limit on selected residential roads to 20 mph - which received the approval of just 2%.

6.7 Distractions

6.5 Speeding