Should the speed limit on motorways be reduced in wet weather?
06 August 2021
A recent study of 2,100 drivers by the RAC has found that 72 per cent of respondents would like the standard 70 MPH limit on motorways to be reduced in wet weather conditions.
Of this 72 per cent:
- 33 per cent said the speed limit should be lowered to 60 MPH in wet weather.
- 7 per cent said it should be 65 MPH.
- 17 per cent said it should be 55 MPH.
14 per cent were unsure what the reduction should be but agreed there should be one.
The respondents also shared their thoughts as to why a lower speed limit for motorways in wet weather could be beneficial:
- 78 per cent said that a lower limit would encourage drivers to slow down in wet weather conditions.
- 72 per cent felt that a lower limit could save lives.
- 65 per cent said that driving at a lower speed in wet weather could improve visibility, with less water spray from the car ahead.
- 53 per cent felt that even if some people ignored a change in limit, overall vehicle speeds would be reduced on motorways in wet weather.
Some respondents, however, felt that a lower speed limit was unnecessary:
- 21 per cent were against a lower speed limit.
- 54 per cent felt that most drivers already reduce their speed in wet weather.
- 60 per cent said there would be difficulty defining when a lower limit would apply.
- 42 per cent pointed out that many drivers ignore normal speed limits as it is.
- 41 per cent felt that many drivers would simply ignore a lower limit.
Official road traffic statistics published by the Department for Transport show that 806 people were killed or seriously injured on motorways in Great Britain in 2019. Of this total, 30 per cent (246) of the casualties occurred in wet weather conditions – either when the road surface was damp, wet or flooded.
RAC data insight spokesman Rod Dennis said: “While most drivers already adjust their speed when the weather turns unpleasant, figures show that ‘driving too fast for the conditions’ and ‘slippery roads’ are still among the top 10 reasons for motorway collisions and contribute to significant numbers of serious injuries and even deaths every year.
“The overall success of any scheme would of course depend on sufficient numbers of motorists reducing their speed, but even just a proportion reducing their speed in the wet would be likely to improve the safety of the UK’s motorways.
“It’s worth remembering that an increasing number of stretches of motorway no longer have permanent 70mph limits, as all smart motorways feature speed limits which are automatically adjusted to ease congestion based on traffic flow. With digital signs now so commonplace, arguably the means exist to conduct a trial to see whether there are safety benefits of setting different speed limits in inclement weather.”
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