New report shows that drivers are slowing down
Drivers slowing down even as ministers consider allowing them to speed up on motorways
The number of drivers breaking the 30 mph speed limit has dropped by a third in twelve years.
In 1998, 69% of cars on 30 mph roads were above the limit. By 2010 the figure had fallen to 46%.
The reduction in the proportion of cars exceeding 35 mph has fallen even more sharply, by a half in nine years.
In 2001, 32% of cars on 30 mph roads were travelling at more than 35 mph. By 2010 the figure was 16%.
The numbers are revealed in an analysis of speeds in free-flow traffic and accident rates by Dr Kit Mitchell. Speed and Safety: Evidence from published data is co-published by the RAC Foundation and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).
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