Watch Your Speed
As lockdown continues, and UK roads free up, some drivers might want to take the time to test the traffic limits. However, it is important, like all other days on the road, to watch your speed limit.
There was a 71% increase in drivers caught speeding in London when the coronavirus lockdown started at the beginning of the year. Once again, during the second lockdown, drivers across the country are taking advantage of the quieter roads to speed excessively, putting the lives of others at risk at the worst possible time. Speeding is unacceptable at the best of times but, at a time when most are staying at home to protect the NHS, is unacceptable. A single crash could put a huge strain on other blue light services, if it leads to injury or staff being exposed to Covid-19 and forced into self-isolation.
Police forces say that many of those caught breaking speed limits did not expect officers to be patrolling the roads for speeding motorists during these unprecedented times. They have also stated that people are becoming ‘restless and bored’ while in lockdown, resulting in some getting back in their cars, and ultimately speeding.
Speeding has a detrimental impact on everyone’s safety, and affects fleets massively. Van drivers, who have played a crucial role during both lockdowns, have proved to be much more obedient than car drivers, with telematics devices detecting major incidents twice as often as normal compared to four times as frequently for car drivers.
In short, drivers and riders who are travelling at inappropriate speeds are more likely to crash and their higher speed means the crash will cause more severe injuries, to themselves and/or to other road users. For all of our suppliers network, and other drivers who are reading this: Please do not treat speed limits as a target. It is often not appropriate or safe to drive at the maximum speed limit. Be safe, and drive smart.
For Engineius drivers, please revisit our Service Standards webpage where we detail how to remain safe during jobs. If you want to find out more about speeding and what you can do to prevent it, please get in touch with us at suppliers@engineius.co.uk.
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