Car owners news
10/06/2011
Motor insurance buyers demand a speed limit increase
A large proportion of car insurance customers would like to see the motorway speed limit increased, according to a survey by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
Over 2,000 people were questioned, with many saying that they would not break the motorway speed limit if it was put up to mph.
More than half of the respondents admitted to regularly exceeding 70mph when the motorways are clear. Some drivers were even prepared to accelerate above the 80mph barrier.
The Director of Policy and Research at IAM said, "Even though motorways are the safest roads, increasing the motorway speed limit is a controversial subject.
"This is why we want to see a trial to test its impact on road safety, fuel consumption and driver behaviour."
BMW car insurance holders who want a higher motorway speed limit might be interested to hear that the number of American road deaths went up after the repeal of the federal speed control law in 1995.
A researcher from the University of Illinois at Chicago said, "People assumed that increasing the speed limit would not have an impact.
"We've shown that something has happened and it's quite dramatic."
If the English government does agree to a heightened speed limit then the number of road accidents and car insurance claims could rise.