Should The Motorway Speed Limit Be Raised To 80mph?
At the dawn of the UK’s motorway network, there wasn’t a speed limit at all. That ended in 1965 as 70mph speed limits were introduced, but over 50 years have passed, so is it time for an update?
Improvements in crash safety, brake technology and even road technology since then have been massive, so it’s no surprise that the idea of an increase in speed limit has been raised by both campaigners and members of parliament in recent years. It’s even been discussed in the House of Commons, but proposals have never been given the go-ahead.
Upping the speed limit would mean quicker journey times and this will benefit the economy, not to mention making long trips less frustrating and slipways more entertaining…
Thanks to new ‘smart’ motorways with variable speed limits it’d be easy to introduce 80mph limits in test areas, or even roll out a higher speed limit on all newer sections of motorway, leaving older, less safe parts at 70mph.
On the other hand, bumping up the speed limit could still lead to an increase in accidents, even if the 315 foot 70-0mph braking distance given by the Highway Code is rather generous (with most modern cars, you’re looking at around half that). You’d get a substantial increase in emissions across the motorway network, too.
So with these things in mind, what’s your opinion? Get voting!
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
There has been many studies that actually show that when a speed limit is raised on a freeway serious accidents and deaths are lowered. also as someone who has driven on an 80mp/h in the states in a pickup truck it is possible. In the next province over from me they just raised their’s from 110 to 120km/h and have so fare seen less accidents as a result.
No, The chance of survival in a crash at 80 is strangely a lot lower than a crash at 70. Also, engines use 25% less fuel at 70 Mph:)
No speed limit here in Germany :b
Yes, just f*ck it and say yes.
In Canada the limit is 100 Km/h, or arund 62 mph. Everyone already goes 120 Km/h, so theres really no point in raising it. Everyones gonna go even faster, and will ultimately lead to more accidents.
Absoutly NOT
Now I’m a petrolhead, and I do like to drive fast sometimes, but if you ask me, doing 80 with masses of traffic, sometimes rain and fog prevents sight, is TOO DANGEROUS.
It’s scary as a passenger when you are close to other vehicles paranoid that you are gonna crash. This happens to me many times when the driver is doing 60 in the rain.
So upping it to 80mph is just going to cause more stress, more fear for passengers, and more fuel consumption. And higher risk of accidents, which of course is a terrible thing.
I don’t know about you guys, but road safety is a vital thing for all drivers and passengers for all vehicles, an important thing. We should really save our passion for speed and 0-60 times for the track.
I don’t think its a good idea to raise the speed limit anywhere. It’ll just increase the speed at which idiots speed at. If you want people to drive a little faster, just loosen up on punishing people going slightly above the limit and keep 70mph as a safe recommendation for the less experienced drivers.
I can say that when I was a lad, my dad would drive at around 80mph, it was raining like hell and there were a hell of a lot of cars around us, honestly, I was scared out of my mind, I couldn’t relax due to the stress of the speed, conditions and volume of traffic
Keep the limit and make the insurance cheaper. I think that’s a real win, I mean come on, you’re having the most fun on the twisty country roads anyway.
Ich not care tun