Lack of knowledge of speed limits top reason for fines

LACK of knowledge and awareness of limits, rather than deliberate transgression, top the list of reasons for speeding fines, says RED Corporate Driver Training.

It surveyed the most common speeding faults seen by its team of driver trainers.

“The worrying issue is that in the majority of cases, untrained drivers are speeding on a regular and sustained basis purely because they either don’t know what the speed limit is, have not understood how fast they should be going, or don’t know the limit for their particular vehicle.”

Greg Ford, RED Head of Corporate Tweet

RED quotes recent research by Co-Op Insurance found that there had been a 12% increase in points issued to drivers in Britain in 2024 to just under 10 million penalties.

“Quite simply, drivers aren’t paying enough attention or forget what the limit is. The issue with this is they can spend a long time over the limit, and inevitably they will get caught,” said Ford.

Five contributors to speeding fines

Lack of speed limit awareness

According to RED’s trainers, around two in five fleet drivers struggle to correctly identify speed limits across different road types. This lack of awareness is especially prevalent among newer drivers or those transitioning into commercial vehicles for the first time.

Trainers report that unintentional speeding due to simple misunderstanding remains one of the most common causes of fleet violations.

Accidental transgression

A lack of concentration leading to accidental transgression of speed limits is the second most prevalent speeding problem.

Despite most modern commercial vehicles being equipped with helpful driver aids such as speed limiters and cruise control, many drivers neglect to use them.

RED’s trainers reckon that once drivers receive hands-on coaching about these systems’ benefits, usage rises dramatically, and speeding falls as a result.

Not knowing a vehicle’s speed limit

A particularly widespread speeding issue also concerns not knowing the specific speed limits for pick-ups and other commercial vehicles. Many drivers assume these vehicles follow standard car speed limits, but RED’s trainers stress that this is often not the case.

If the unladen weight exceeds 2,040 kg, the vehicle is subject to lower limits: 50 mph on single carriageways and 60 mph on dual carriageways. This misunderstanding arises so frequently that trainers say it comes up at least once a week during courses.

“There’s a really simple solution to this problem: fleet vehicles are increasingly missing in-vehicle speed limit reminder stickers, despite their proven effectiveness and widespread historical use,” said Ford.

“Reintroducing stickers could reinforce correct speed limits for specific vehicle types and reduce confusion.”

Variable speed limit confusion

Variable speed limits, particularly on smart motorways and within roadworks, are another area of concern. Trainers attribute non-compliance largely to driver inattention or misunderstanding of the signage. Increased awareness and concentration could prevent unnecessary speeding penalties and collisions.

Deliberate speeding

With the rise in the number of speed cameras, RED trainers believe that cases of deliberate speeding are now lower, with many drivers telling them it isn’t worth the risk.

Simple, targeted education and regular reminders can make a measurable difference to safety and compliance behind the wheel, RED believes, and it continues to work with organisations across the UK to improve driver safety and efficiency through tailored training and risk management.

RED Corporate Driver Training has solutions on offer including e-learning modules for all drivers, which provide a regular and fleet-wide education, but also preventative in-vehicle specific speed awareness training for drivers either showing up on telematics as regular transgressors, or those receiving endorsements.