A driver was caught speeding at 91mph in a 30mph zone in Cambridgeshire, raising road safety concerns across the UK.
These speeds happened in the 20 months before last August. The RAC called this “incredibly dangerous.” They want the government to address the issue and want fewer crash deaths from speeding.
The highest speed was 122 mph in South Yorkshire. North Wales saw 88 mph in a 20 mph zone. Cambridgeshire’s 91 mph was 17th highest in the country.
Nearby, Bedfordshire had a driver at 103 mph. Essex clocked 90 mph, Norfolk had 89 mph, and Suffolk saw 83 mph. Also, Hertfordshire had 85 mph, Northamptonshire 76 mph, and Lincolnshire 96 mph.
RAC said these roads have more walkers, cyclists, and others. The fastest speed on any road was 167 mph. It happened on the M1 in Leicestershire; it’s an area with a 70 mph limit.
These stats came from 40 police forces. The data covers early 2023 to last August. Rod Dennis from the RAC said these speeds are dangerous. He said police caught these speeders, thankfully.
Dennis added there’s no place for such extreme speeds and speeding is the top cause of UK road deaths. He wants the government to reduce road deaths. Jo Shiner leads roads policing nationally.
She said some speeding can be mistakes, but these speeds show deliberate, risky actions. She said speed limits consider road layout and safety. Going faster is reckless and unacceptable.
In 2023, speeding was a factor in 331 deaths. That’s at least a ten-year high, about 21% of all road deaths. A survey found many think speeding is acceptable.
A transport official said speeding is never okay. They said the UK works to improve road safety. Here are some top speeds in 30 mph zones: South Yorkshire was highest at 122 mph. Sussex had 113 mph and Manchester and West Yorkshire each saw 112 mph.