Lockdown speeders: more drivers seen breaking the limit
Date published: 24 April 2020
Roads with 30mph limits appear to be the most abused
Nearly half of people have witnessed an increase in drivers breaking the speed limit during the government lockdown, according to research carried out by the RAC.
44% of UK adults say they have seen more drivers speeding now than they did before the Government introduced the coronavirus lockdown.
Roads with 30mph limits appear to be the most abused, with 23% of the 2,020 people questioned by the RAC saying they had seen drivers very obviously breaking the law by going too fast.
In Greater Manchester, the latest figures show that in the first week of April, 1,145 people were caught breaking the 30 mile speed limits – with the highest recorded speed clocking in at 81mph.
A further 265 people were found speeding on the motorways, with 129mph the highest speed recorded.
Just under one in 10 (8%) people in the UK claimed they have seen more drivers using handheld mobile phones at the wheel than they would in normal, non-lockdown conditions.
Shockingly, 5% of those surveyed believed they had witnessed vehicles racing on public roads.
Evidence from police forces across the country sadly backs up what people surveyed told the RAC, with the Met Police clocking one driver doing 134mph in a 40mph zone.
According to Department for Transport data, excessive speed was responsible for 4,652 road traffic collisions – or the equivalent of 13 road traffic collisions a day during 2018, although due to how data is recorded this figure may underestimate the true number of collisions.
RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “The frightening conclusion from our research is that a significant number of irresponsible drivers are taking advantage of quiet ‘lockdown’ roads by driving far too fast, putting lives unnecessarily at risk.
“It would only take a fraction of a second when driving well over the speed limit for something terrible to happen.
"Couple this behaviour with the fact there are many cyclists on our roads and more people are having to walk in the road to maintain a safe distance from others on pavements and you have a recipe for disaster.
“The last thing the NHS needs as it works night and day to help patients with coronavirus is to have to deal with people injured in avoidable road traffic collisions caused by motorists driving far too fast.
“While there are fewer drivers on the road, it appears police speed traps are more needed now than ever as some of the speeds in built-up areas appear to be excessive.
"Some police forces, including Greater Manchester and The Met, have already announced crackdowns and it looks as though a similar approach needs to be taken in other parts of the country.
"It seems very wrong that people who drive so far above the limit should get away scot-free especially during a national emergency.”
For more information about why motorists should be more careful when driving on empty roads during the COVID-19 pandemic visit the RAC website.
Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.
