Vehicle speed compliance statistics for Great Britain: October to December 2020
Car driver compliance with speed limits on roads in Great Britain during October to December 2020.
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These quarterly statistics have been produced in addition to the regular annual statistics, to provide more timely information on compliance with speed limits during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
They provide insight into the speeds at which drivers choose to travel and their compliance with speed limits under free flow conditions but should not be taken as estimates of actual compliance or actual average speed across the wider road network.
Long-term trends in vehicle speed limit compliance have usually been stable over time. Without coronavirus, we would have expected this to continue.
In October to December 2020:
- the proportion of cars exceeding the speed limit was similar compared to October to December 2019
- 47% of cars exceeded the limit on motorways
- 10% of cars exceeded the limit on national speed limit single carriageways
- 52% of cars exceeded the limit on 30mph roads
Coronavirus restrictions included localised and national lockdowns. At the start of the second national lockdown in November, speed limit exceedance rose slightly.
Throughout October to December 2020, daily road traffic figures varied but did not drop to levels seen in April to June 2020 (quarter 2), which saw the first national lockdown.
Contact us
Road traffic and vehicle speed compliance statistics
Email roadtraff.stats@dft.gov.uk
Media enquiries 0300 7777 878