Traffic of Great Britain, road discipline and speed limits

What are the speed limits on most roads in Great Britain?

Answer

In Great Britain, the speed limit on motorways and dual carriageways is 70 miles per hour. On other non-urban roads the limit is 60 miles per hour, unless otherwise indicated by road signs.

In urban areas with street lights, the speed limit is 30 miles per hour unless signed otherwise. There are special 20 mph zones in some residential roads and the New Forest national park has special 40 mph zones because of the semi-wild ponies.

The speed limits are often rigorously enforced with the use of speed cameras. In some areas, driving at one or two mph over the limit will get you a police conviction with a fairly hefty fine. Always stay within the speed limit.

 

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Road traffic accidents end hundreds of thousands of lives across the world every year. Very often death and injury is the result of drivers who did not take the road seriously enough.

The cost to the economy is huge, and the financial effect of personal injury can ruin families. Something that can't be measured is the emotional cost to family members and friends when a person is killed or injured.

In Greater London in the UK, it's very easy to count several examples of traffic laws being broken in a thirty minute period, and the culprits are almost always young male drivers. Too many drivers treat speed limits as nothing more than a suggestion; cross traffic lights that are red; corner at speed without using indicators beforehand; drive over pedestrian crossings while pedestrians are still on the road; and ignore clear signs that forbid, for example, right turns. Cyclists are also commonly seen jumping red lights, or making illegal turns. All of which makes it harder for pedestrians and other road users to use the roads without incident.

Police enforcement on the road in Greater London seems to be very weak. Minor violations such as illegal registration plates⁷ are seemingly ignored completely. As are missing headlights or brake lights. Some drivers do not have insurance because they can't or don't want to pay for it. Some don't even have a driving licence. It seems logical that a driver without insurance or without a licence is more likely to hit-and-run, leaving a seriously injured victim to die.

Drivers who are caught by the police often protest that the police should be out catching "real criminals". And this attitude seems to be prevalent. Dangerous driving appears to be treated by society with tolerance, even indifference. But the speed limits and traffic laws are in place because dangerous driving frequently costs people dearly. These rules should be taken very seriously.