New figures based on telematics and police data have put excessive speeding firmly back on the road safety agenda.
Across 33 police force areas, 271,341 drivers were caught travelling at 40mph or more on 30mph roads last year, while 32,548 drivers were caught doing 30mph or more on 20mph roads.
Some of the individual examples are concerning, including drivers recorded at 89mph in a 20mph zone, 114mph on a 30mph road and 80mph near schools in Cheshire during the afternoon.
For fleet operators, this is not simply a policing issue, it’s also a driver behaviour, compliance and risk management issue.
Official data shows speed was a factor in 58% of fatal collisions in 2024, with drivers or riders exceeding the limit involved in one in five fatal collisions.
Road safety campaigners are now backing calls for Intervening Intelligent Speed Assistance technology to help prevent repeat offenders from continuing to drive at unsafe speeds.
But technology alone is not the answer, as we all know. Fleets also need clear policies, regular driver communication and reliable visibility of risky behaviour before it leads to an incident.
This is especially important where vehicles are operating on 20mph and 30mph roads, which are often residential areas, town centres and routes shared with pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
At Driving Monitor, managing and mitigating risk through Risk Monitor and Fleet Monitor is a crucial part of how we help fleets stay safe and confident on the road.
