MOTORISTS DEMONSTRATE LACK OF HIGHWAY CODE KNOWLEDGE

Independent research commissioned by the Safety Camera Partnership has revealed that motorists in Mid and South Wales have a lack of understanding of the Highway Code, particularly speed limits.

Less than two thirds of respondents who drove were able to describe the national speed limit sign when questioned. Only 54 per cent of motorists gave the correct description of a white circle with a black diagonal line, with 17 per cent unable to give any description. Younger respondents were more likely to correctly describe the sign as were those who drove a greater number of miles per year.

Respondents with a driving licence were also asked to give the maximum speed that can be driven in a car on a dual carriageway, single lane main road and country road when a national speed limit sign is present. No more than half of respondents gave the correct speed limit for each type of road.

Only 39 per cent correctly answered 70mph for a dual carriageway while 50 per cent knew that the maximum speed limit on a single lane road was 60mph. Less than half (46 per cent) of respondents answered that the correct speed limit for a country road was 60mph.

John Rowling, project manager of the Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership, which is responsible for static and mobile speed camera enforcement in the South Wales, Gwent and Dyfed Powys police force areas, said: “It is worrying that the research has revealed that so many motorists are unaware of national speed limits on different types of roads. Not surprisingly, it is the younger generation of motorists that are more aware, probably due to the fact that they took their driving test more recently.

“If we are to succeed in saving lives by reducing speeds, motorists need to refresh their knowledge of the Highway Code to ensure that they are driving within the correct speed limits at all times.”