The Law Blog

The UK Government’s plan to increase the speed limit on British motorways from 70mph to 80mph has come under fire from road safety charity Brake, which claimed that the move would probably cause an increase in fatal accidents.

The proposal to increase the motorway speed limit is due to come into effect by July, according to several media sources. Although the plan has not been confirmed in any official capacity, it has already managed to attract the attention of Brake, which is understandably concerned about the potential for increased road casualties.

Campaigns officer for Brake, Ellen Booth, noted: “It would be simply immoral to raise motorway speed limits when research indicates it would lead to more deaths and serious injuries, which cause devastating trauma to families and which are a considerable economic burden. It would also fly in the face of this Government’s commitment to lower carbon emissions. In short, a decision to raise the motorway limit would go against safety, environmental and financial sense.”

Ms Booth makes a compelling argument. Not only is it thought that a 10mph speed increase from 70mph to 80mph would cause a greater number of accident claims, the Transport Committee Report on Road Traffic Speed concluded that increasing the legal speed limit on motorways would probably worsen congestion. Research also suggests that a 10mph increase within this range would cause a 14 per cent rise in CO2 emissions for petrol cars and 25 per cent for diesel, while increasing fuel consumption at varying rates.

Photo Courtesy of Leo Reynolds via Flickr

Of course, the most significant danger of increasing the speed limit on motorways is that of increasing serious and fatal road accidents. Research has estimated that casualties of all kinds would increase by up to 10 per cent if the Government goes ahead with the plan to increase the motorway speed limit to 80mph. In context, a 10 per cent rise might increase the number of deaths recorded each year by around 200, or casualties of all severities could spike by as much as 22,000.

It is not clear what benefit an increased speed limit might bring to the British nation, but it perhaps ought to be noted that the existing 70mph limit is not strictly observed by all drivers in the UK. Indeed, it could be argued that most frequent motorway travellers already exceed 80mph routinely. Personal injury claims may increase if a higher proportion of motorists drive at the proposed legal limit of 80mph.