Millions of motorists have broken a basic Highway Code rule in the past five years with drivers running the risk of being hit with hefty penalties such as fines, according to experts.
New data shows that over nine million drivers have been caught speeding on UK roads over the past five years with more than 2.1million offences recorded in 2023 alone.
Last year’s tally was the highest number since 2019 with analysis showing a 24 percent rise over the past half a decade despite driving rules in place.
Meanwhile, a stunning new survey shows motorists don’t seem bothered about breaking the rules with more than one in four (28 percent) admitting they sometimes break the limit.
A staggering 12 percent say they go over the limit “often” with a quarter (24 percent) claiming they broke the rules because they didn’t agree with the original limit.
Louise Thomas, expert at Confused.com explained: “More than 2 million drivers were caught speeding last year, so there’s no denying that it’s still a problem on our roads.
“As our latest experiment revealed, it’s not always easy to judge your speed through an educated guess. So why do so many drivers choose to ignore road signs and their speedometers?
“Our latest research found that drivers speed for a variety of reasons. This includes exceeding the limit because they don’t agree with the speed of the zone, or because they know the roads will be quiet.”
A Freedom of Information request to UK police forces in relation to speeding offences between 2019 and 2023 revealed 30mph roads were the most affected area.
Almost four million road users were caught breaking speeding rules on these routes over the past five years.
Meanwhile, more than 810,000 of these penalties were issued over the past 12 months alone.
Data shows that 53 percent of motorists caught speeding were issued penalty points on their driving licence with 51 percent also issued a fine.
Road users are likely to be issued a minimum penalty of three points and a £100 fine.
Meanwhile, 22 percent admitted they saw a jump in their car insurance prices after renewal with costs rising by around £126 on average.
Louise added: “You should never risk speeding at any time. Not only is there a risk for your safety, but for other road users too.
“Your future as a driver could also be impacted, with risk of disqualification from driving altogether, or new financial burdens as a result.”
