SPEEDING DRIVERS DON'T UNDERSTAND LIMITS ACCORDING TO THE AA

To combat this, the AA recommends that there should be a proper national review of limits on all roads, coupled with an overhaul of speed signs to include information on why the maximum speed is set as it is.

The report, "What Limits Speed", from the AA Foundation for Road Safety Research, is the result of 18 months' work, and reveals that drivers also break limits because they believe they have better than average skills.

Another common reason given is that modern cars are capable of stopping more quickly than cars that were on the roads when the limit was set, and that they are so quiet that it is easy to break the law without realising.

John Dawson, the AA's Policy Director, says: "The government is to set targets for accident reduction, and speed is often a key factor in crashes. If we are to tackle the problem, it is vital that we get to the heart of why people do it in the first place.

"Now we've had chance to look at these findings, it is clear that a review of all roads to assess limits should be carried out, so that drivers can have more confidence that there is a good reason for them. Signs should be accompanied by an extra statement if necessary, such as 'school', 'severe bends' or even 'dangerous road'."

The AA also believes that with public support for speed cameras running at over 80 per cent, the dangers in allowing individual police forces to keep the money must be clearly understood. Previous AA research shows that support would slump to 50 per cent if that happened.

John Dawson adds: "Silly camera sites, camera signs without cameras, or unsigned cameras will lower the public's regard for them. They must be a genuine safety aid - drivers must know that they are used only where their presence will actually reduce casualties."

Designed & maintained by caint.com