Speed Compliance Statistics 2016

6 July 2017

The Speed Compliance Statistics 2016 release from the Department for Transport presents estimates of compliance with speed limits in free flowing conditions on roads in Great Britain.

These are based on speed data collected from a sample of DfT’s Automatic Traffic Counters (ATCs), chosen to exclude locations where external factors might restrict driver behaviour (e.g. junctions, hills, sharp bends and speed enforcement cameras).

The statistics provide insights into speeds at which drivers choose to travel when free to do so, but are not estimates of average speeds across the whole network.

The release also presents information from a range of other sources relating to the reasons people speed, speed convictions and the accidents caused by speeding.

Since 2011:

• The percentages of vehicles exceeding the speed limit in free flow conditions have declined slightly for most vehicle and road types.
• On motorways, 46% of cars exceeded the speed limit in 2016, falling to 11% exceeding the limit by more than ten miles per hour.
• Single carriageway roads where the national speed limit applies (60 mphfor cars) had the highest levels of speed limit compliance, with only 8% of cars exceeding the speed limit, and 1% exceeding by more than 10 mph.
• On 30mph roads, 53% of cars exceeded the speed limit, with 6%exceeding 40mph.
• On 20mph roads with free-flow conditions (i.e. excluding roads with traffic calming measures - which may not be typical of most 20 mph roads).
• 81% of cars exceeded the speed limit, with 15% exceeding 30mph.

To download a copy of the report please  click here.