One In Ten Drivers Risk Fines And Points On Their License Every Day

New data reveals a portion of the UK’s road users aren’t using legal means to judge their speed on the roads.

A survey of British road users from private plate supplier Regtransfers saw 1 in 10 drivers admitting that they don’t use their speedometer to judge their speed on the roads.

When asked which method they use most, a majority (86%) said they use the car’s dashboard speedo to ensure they remain within legal speed limits. However, the remaining 14% admitted predominantly using other means of judgement – including their own natural intuition and instincts.

With the growing number of mobile apps and dedicated SatNav products that help track vehicle speed and other road conditions, it’s little wonder that 8% of respondents said they predominantly use their SatNav or phone app to judge their speed. This may not sound high, but as of April 2024, the number of people with a full driving license in the UK reached 42,120,966, 8% of which is a little over 3 million drivers. The remaining 6% consisted of an even split between two other methods – using other road users to judge speed, or their own “natural intuition and instincts”.

As Regtransfers CEO Mark Trimbee comments, however, using anything other than your speedometer to judge your speed on the road may potentially land you in a spot of bother at some point.

“SatNav apps – and the various additional features they offer – are a fantastic tool to help any driver, but it’s important that road users continue to use their dashboard instruments to keep track of their vehicle’s performance and speed.

SatNavs rely on GPS readings to calculate speed, and while they’re often accurate, there’s always a chance the reading could be wrong, since accuracy is determined by the quality of the satellite signal being received. As long as it’s in good condition, your speedo should never understate your speed; by law, it must never show less than the speed you’re going, and must never show more than 110% of your speed.”

As for the other methods of judging speed, Trimbee states “It’s never a good idea to base your speed on your own judgement. 30mph can feel like a crawl after being on the motorway, and it can be all too easy to misjudge your speed. As for using other road users to judge your speed, this one’s simple; if they’re over the speed limit, you will be too.”

The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points added to your licence, but this figure could rise to as much as £2,500, depending on the circumstances.

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