Is it time to increase the speed limit from 70mph to 80mph?

CreditCardChris

The 70mph speed limit has been in effect since 1965 but with the advancement in car safety I feel like it's time to up the speed to 80mph. Yes not all cars are modern with modern safety technology but the standard of driving has also increased what with tests / highway code being stricter than they were in 1965. 

According to statistics two thirds of all car accidents occur on roads with a max speed of 30mph or less. Germany's Autobahn is a prime example that proves more speed doesn't necessarily mean more accidents. Perhaps we don't need to up the speed limit to 80mph for all 70mph roads but just up the limit for straighter / smoother roads.

And for those who'll say more speed = more pollution, yes that might be true but again cars are much more environmentally friendly than they were even 20 years ago and with electric cars starting to become popular this will impact the environment even less in the coming years.

Carrot007

More limits mean more complex and costly. Maybe just remove the limit and let it mean "not assesed for a upper limit, use you noggin" like it used to? Well probably not people see the max as a must drive at these days. (except the 45 brigage and other ridiculousness (the 30 in NSL and 40 in 30/20 zones for instance (why yes I mean rural drivers)).

But for motorways, !!!!!! yes. Maybe three lanes only though so you can have trucks, slow drivers/crap cars and anyone who wants to go faster when needed.

And yes going fast in some cars is damn scary, always remember other peopel do not have your car.

Car_54

CreditCardChris said:

According to statistics two thirds of all car accidents occur on roads with a max speed of 30mph or less. Germany's Autobahn is a prime example that proves more speed doesn't necessarily mean more accidents.

Again according to statistics, the death rate on German motorways is MUCH higher than the UK's (1.74 deaths per billion vehicle-km, against 1.16).

I'm not sure what that proves about speed (or indeed anything else), particularly since it reflects the equivalent figures for all roads, (5.00 and 3.56 respectively). Maybe they're just bad drivers.

TooManyPoints

"...but the standard of driving has also increased what with tests / highway code being stricter than they were in 1965."
Not in my experience it hasn't. The tests may have become more complex but whether they are a better test of driving competency is arguable. But even if they are, as soon as the test is passed many drivers simply do whatever they think fit - often with disastrous results. Some of the driving seen on the country's motorways and main roads is truly appalling. As it is, a 70 mph limit is not enforced until 79mph. Up the limit to 80 and it won't be enforced until 90mph which is far too fast for many drivers to properly cope with consistently.

DrEskimo

Why? What do you gain?

These debates seem to always centre around around arguments for why the speed limit shouldn't be 70MPH, but never actually provide any arguments for why it should be 80MPH.

As far as I can tell, all you get is slightly reduced journey times. In real world, I can't imagine this gain in time saved is very much when you consider what the impact will be on average speed over a typical journey. Is it really worth the cost and hassle?

prowla

The 70 or 80 number is only something arbitrary anyway; the real value is that it gives you an idea what those around you might be doing too.

MinuteNoodles

Car_54 said:

Again according to statistics, the death rate on German motorways is MUCH higher than the UK's (1.74 deaths per billion vehicle-km, against 1.16).

I'm not sure what that proves about speed (or indeed anything else), particularly since it reflects the equivalent figures for all roads, (5.00 and 3.56 respectively). Maybe they're just bad drivers.

When there are accidents on the unrestricted parts of the Autobahns they're usually far more severe, almost always someone killed or serious life changing injuries and the government has looked at ending the no limit sections.

Aylesbury_Duck

DrEskimo said:

Why? What do you gain?

These debates seem to always centre around around arguments for why the speed limit shouldn't be 70MPH, but never actually provide any arguments for why it should be 80MPH.

As far as I can tell, all you get is slightly reduced journey times. In real world, I can't imagine this gain in time saved is very much when you consider what the impact will be on average speed over a typical journey. Is it really worth the cost and hassle?

I agree with this entirely.  For the small journey time saving, it isn't worth the extra consumption, wear and tear, emissions, slightly higher safety risk, etc.

I see loads of downsides and only a small time saving as the upside.  No point.

JustAnotherSaver

Without a doubt yes. Barely anyone sticks to the 70mph limit anyway.

"But i do". Yeah like i said, barely anyone. You're not everyone & the vast majority of people i see on the motorway go over 70mph anyway.

I see comments on social media here & there about speed killing. Stupid driving kills. Sure the chances may be greater if you're doing 80 vs 30 that someone may end up dead but if you don't drive like an idiot then unless you have some unbelievable car failure it'll be your stupid driving that causes the incident really.

I've been involved in 2 collisions. My first was a woman went right in the back of me because she was driving too fast for the wet conditions & didn't leave enough time to stop. Stupid driving.

The other was when i overtook someone on a long straight & he turned out to be a local nutjob & he swerved in to me & tried to run me off the road. That was stupid & there's also the argument of if i hadn't overtaken him then it wouldn't have happened.

Stubod

..in answer to to the OP..no, no, and again no....

EssexExile

It's fine as it is.