Drivers feel the need for speed

A survey in the UK has revealed that the majority of British motorists are living life in the fast lane - with 71 per cent of respondents admitting to breaking the speed limit on more than a quarter of all journeys.

The study, carried out by Road Pilot Ltd, one of Europe's leading providers of speed camera and safety data to the automotive satellite navigation industry - found that the 70 miles-per-hour limit in place on dual carriageways and motorways is the main point of contention with motorists, with 60 per cent saying that this limit should be raised.

Road Pilot's findings are consistent with figures recently released by the UK's Department for Transport, which have shown that during 2007, 72 per cent of cars travelled above the motorway limit.

"The research shows that speeding, particularly on motorways, is a common vice among UK motorists," said James Flynn, OBE, chief executive officer of Road Pilot. "Given the number of people that admit to speeding regularly, and that there are more than 10,000 fixed and frequently-used mobile speed camera sites on UK roads, there is potentially a very large number of people in danger of being fined, incurring penalty points or even losing their licences.

The survey also found that 68 per cent of motorists believe that warnings from a speed camera locator would help them better adhere to local limits.