According to the road safety charity Brake, someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads every 17 minutes1. And with excess speed contributing to a third of fatal road crashes2, it's important to keep an eye on your speed when you're driving.
- Why is not speeding so important?
- What happens if I'm caught speeding?
- Why is speed so hard to gauge?
- Car stopping distances
- What are the speed limits in the UK?
- Simple speed tips to keep you safe
Why is not speeding so important?
Speeding not only makes you more likely to have an accident, but it also increases the risk of injury if an accident does happen.
According to science, a car’s kinetic energy is proportional to its speed, squared. In other words, you don’t have to be travelling at vastly excessive speeds to do serious damage.
Even just 5mph too fast could be the difference between accidentally hitting a pedestrian and stopping in time to avoid them.
What happens if I'm caught speeding?
Police are offering speed awareness courses to drivers caught going slightly over the limit, and who’ve not been caught speeding in the last 3 years.
If you’re not eligible for a course, the alternative is 3 penalty points. This could add hundreds to the cost of your insurance, as well as a £100 fine.
Got caught speeding? If you get points on your license, you’ll need to let your insurer know right away. If you don’t, your insurance could be invalidated.
Why is speed so hard to gauge?
When you’re cruising at 70mph on the motorway, then minutes later find yourself on a narrow high street, a mere 20mph can feel like you’re travelling in slow motion.
That’s because when we drive, we fall into a kind of trance. Pick any recent car journey lasting half an hour or more. Do you remember every minute? Probably not!
At 30mph, a car travels at 44 feet (about 3 car lengths) per second. One blink and you can easily miss the car’s brake lights in front of you, or a child appearing from behind a parked car.
Even in good conditions, the difference in stopping distance between 30mph and 35mph is an extra 21 feet (6 metres). That’s more than 2 car lengths!
When it’s wet or icy stopping distances are even bigger:
- When it’s wet, double the gap between your car and the car in front.
- When if it's icy, multiply the gap by 10.
Car stopping distances
Average car length = 4m
Speed: 20mph
or 32k/ph
Thinking distance: 6m
Braking distance: 6m
Total stopping distance: = 12 metres (or 40 feet)
Speed: 30mph
or 48km/h
Thinking distance: 9m
Braking distance: 14m
Total stopping distance: = 23 metres (or 75 feet)
Speed: 40mph
or 64km/h
Thinking distance: 12m
Braking distance: 24m
Total stopping distance: = 36 metres (or 118 feet)
Speed: 50mph
or 80km/h
Thinking distance: 15m
Braking distance: 38m
Total stopping distance: = 53 metres (or 175 feet)
Speed: 60mph
or 96km/h
Thinking distance: 18m
Braking distance: 55m
Total stopping distance: = 73 metres (or 240 feet)
Speed: 70mph
or 112km/h
Thinking distance: 21m
Braking distance: 75m
Total stopping distance: = 96 metres (or 315 feet)
The distances shown are a general guide. The distance will depend on your attention (i.e. your thinking distance), the road surface, the weather conditions and the condition of your vehicle at the time.
What are the speed limits in the UK?
Here’s a quick refresher on speed limits:
- Built up area - 20 or 30 mph
- Single carriageway - 60 mph
- Dual carriageways and motorways - 70 mph
These speed limits change, depending on the vehicle you’re driving and whether you’re towing a caravan or trailer. Local councils may set their own limits, and temporary restrictions can mean you’ll need to drive slower.
Check out gov.uk for more information on speed limits.
Simple speed tips to keep you safe
- Speed limits aren’t targets. When you see a sign with 20mph or 30mph it doesn’t mean you should travel at that speed. Drive to the conditions and take your surroundings into account. If you’re near a school or a row of busy shops, slow down.
- Pay extra attention at junctions. It can be easy to miss cyclists and motorcyclists at junctions. Because they’re traveling at speed, they can suddenly appear as if out of nowhere.
- Respect road conditions. If you come across loose chippings, potholes, or tree branches, ease off the gas. This won’t just protect other road users from flying debris, but you could save yourself damage to your paintwork and suspension.
- Don’t ignore temporary signs. Keep a look out for variable speed limits and lane closures on overhead signs on the motorway. If you don’t, you could get an automatic £100 fine and 3 penalty points.
Remember, if you fall victim to someone speeding and causing an accident, AXA car insurance is here for you.
1 UK collision and casualty statistics, Brake: The road safety charity
