Do you travel 80 mph on the motorway?
Tom Benjamin
I think the majority of us would admit to letting our speed creep a little bit above the 70 mph limit when we are driving on the motorway.
In fact, so many of us push speeds up to 80 mph that the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has urged the government to pilot a new speed limit on a controlled and managed motorway to assess its practicality and safety, and road users' reaction to it.
Back in September the government announced it was thinking about increasing the speed limit as the majority of road users ignore the current 70 mph limit and due to the fact vehicle safety has improved so much.
Road safety organisation slammed the proposals, claiming that an increase would see accidents increase and the severity of those collisions as well as motorists beginning to drive at an unofficial limit 90 mph.
However, the IAM has claimed that a controlled and managed pilot with a full risk assessment would be the best way to find out once and for all the effect of increasing the limit. It is also calling for greater compliance with the limit, which would see a speeding ticket issued if motorists hit the 82 mph mark.
The IAM wants to see 80mph trialled initially on "Controlled Motorways" and "Managed Motorways" where variable speed limit technology is used. These have already been implemented successfully on the M25 orbital motorway in Surrey and the M42 in the West Midlands.
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: "A fifth of motorway-users already travel at this increased speed, and more than half exceed 72 mph when they can, suggesting that a properly controlled 80 mph limit may not show huge increases in carbon or road casualties."
He explained that the motoring public of the UK appear to be ready for an increase in the motorway speed limit and advised the transport secretary to publish a consultation with firm proposals.
Do you think it's time for the speed limit to be taken to 80 mph?
I don’t think I have ever seen someone get pulled over by cops for going 80mph here where I live in the U.S. I think you are supposed to move with the flow of traffic and the flow of traffic is usually at 80mph when there is no traffic so if you are going slower you would be the minority, not majority. Now going over 100mph is automatic jail time if caught.
someone told me the armco barriers are designed to withstand an impact of up to 70mph, i am not suggesting they fail at 71mph, just are they strong enough to withstand impacts of 80 ?, i dont know, does anyone ?