Tackling speeding

Aim: Lower speeds and improved compliance by drivers with people feeling it is safe to walk and cycle.

Need

No other offences is as damaging as speeding – it is the:

Only offence which both increases the risk of a collision and worsens the outcome
Most common road crime and dominates traffic law enforcement (over ¾ all offences are speeding offences)
Key reason people do not cycle and walk more as speeding scares and deters them
Offence with environmental consequences as it worsens air pollution and carbon emissions.

Challenge

Speeding has been tolerated and even encouraged by our society
Speed enforcement is mainly done by cameras and not prioritised by senior police
Each of the 43 police services are independent and can determine how they approach speeding
Speed enforcement has increased in some areas but not all
Fines raised from speeding FPNS go to the treasury with only a share of the NDORs fee going to the local police/safer roads partnership.

What needs to change

Road danger reduced
Recognition that a safe speed spares walkers from serious injury – not just death
Commitment to designing out speeding in the road environment and motor vehicles (ISA)
More enforcement on 20 and 30 mph roads—where walkers and cyclists travel and are hit
Tougher penalties with updated sanctions (currently £100 and last updated in 2017), with higher penalties for repeat offenders and drivers posing harm to walkers and cyclists
More speeding drivers banned, with revised Magistrates Sentencing Guidelines—disqualifications should be longer than 54 days (the current length recommended for extreme speeders)
Increased transparency and accountability
Greater transparency with motor vehicle speeds on roads as well as where enforcement is occurring (this should not take an FOI).
Local engagement and empowerment
Working with the community to demonstrate local support for speed enforcement

What AVZ is doing to help

Analysing the data on enforcement and sanctions
Highlighting the lack of enforcement on 20 and 30mph roads, especially given how many KSIs occur on these roads, especially those of walkers and cyclists.
Reviewing/assessing the priority road safety strategies accord speeding drivers
Revealing how rare it is for a speeding driver to be disqualified

More information