Barmy idea we would have even more danger on our roads as most are not safe driving with todays speed limits.

If anyone really want to race around, then they should join a motor sport club, ro attend Track-Days. As hookit says, most drivers are unsafe at the current speed limits.

Judging by the decreasing standard of driving on roads today, usually caused by those that think they should be entitled to have the whole road to themselves at any speed, removing the speed limit would give free reign to absolute carnage, especially on our already overcrowded motorways. The cars have improved, drivers have got worse.

It's funny how two people can observe the same thing (declining driving standards) and reach the opposite conclusion. I am of the opinion that the single-issue trumpeting of "speed kills" at the expense of most other road safety messages has made people think that numeric speed is the only variable in how safe their driving is. Not true!

Clearly the current limits are sometimes too low and it's not a given that this has a positive road safety effect:

http://www.motorists.org/[…]/

Driving standards HAVE got worse, that is a fact but the worse drivers are the ones who fail to even reach the speed limit on most occassions, believing that so long as they aren't speeding then they are driving perfectly safe, whilst wandering about the road, often in the wrong lane or two lanes at once, not indicating or using their mirrors.

Until we reach the conclusion that it isn't "Speed" that kills but bad driving, roads will get worse but lowering of speed limits often means a lowing of driving standards too.

70mph may have been fine in the 60's when there was far less traffic on the motorways. There are too many vehicles on motorways today so increasing the limit wouldn't help at all. If there were the same number of cars on todays roads as there was in the 60's then I would agree with you, but there isn't.

So why aren't we improving our road network? Have a look at this map:

http://www.roadsafetyfoundation.com/downloads/Map.pdf

And see which the safest roads are: the motorways and decent dual carriageways. Speed doesn't kill.

Speeding increases the probability of a collision, plus the severity of any resulting collision.

Keep the speed limits as they are , ignore the Ckarksons and boy racers.

European Road Safety Laboratory
1 km/h increase in speed ? 3% increase in accidents
With links to the science
http://erso.swov.nl/[…]/speed_and_accident_risk.htm

Kinetic energy = 1/2 mass X velocity ^2
This means that not only is thinking distance increased, but braking distances grow rapidly with speed, and impact severity is also increased.

Silly idea. Vehicles and roads have evolved but human beings have not. There are enough idiots (56% by your figures!) who have no regard for the law as it is. Removing the limit would give free reign to aggressive and inconsiderate drivers and increase overall fuel usage substantially.

It is not speed itself which is dangerous, but inappropriate speed, having due regard for the situation (traffic volumes, weather coditions, visibility, road surface etc.)Here we are only discussing motorway speeds, not those in built up urban areas. I personally support the idea of variable limits set with regard to conditions and that the upper limit be significantly raised beyond the current 70mph when conditions allow. Motorists need to be allowed to take back responsibility and judgement rather than blindly(or being penalised for not) following an arbitrary limit. Even 70 is too fast when its very wet, icy or foggy yet someone remains within the law, whilst reaching 90 or 100 on a dry, deserted road in good visibility is illegal. That's what's barmy.

Since motorways are proven to be the safest of all our roads, I suggest the current national speed limit(s) be retained on all other roads, and the motorways speed limit could be raised to 80 mph.

How many times is ASENNA going to post the same "schoolboy science" post?

If speed is the problem, why are our fastest roads also our safest?

http://www.roadsafetyfoundation.com/downloads/Map.pdf

No speed limit on the motorway works in Germany. A 2005 study by the German Federal Interior Ministry (Bundesministerium des Innern) indicated that Autobahn sections with unrestricted speed have the same crash record as sections with speed limits.

Regarding the comments that while cars are safer at much higher speeds than the current 112 km/h limit (a pretty low speed limit by international standards), (some) drivers are not so qualified, then perhaps it's time to introduce a novel idea - an advanced drivers licence. Any driver who has passed, say, the Institute of Advanced Motorists exams, or something equivalent, is, on motorways and similar high speed roads, obviously qualified to drive at much higher speeds than the current arbitrary limits, and should be allowed to do so without being penalised.

When the 70mph limit was introduced we were using cross-ply tyres, rack and pinion steering, drum brakes (all around!), no wheel balancing, etc...

Now, we have radial tyres, ABS, DSC, disc brakes. I agree that motorways and dual carriageways are the SAFEST when compared to single carriageways. I say raise the speed limit to 80 or even 90 mph on motorways and dual carriageways and reduce the speed limits on single carriageways to 50mph in rural areas and 20mph in the towns (especially near schools).

 "Posted by Mrdanbrown July 10, 2010 at 18:05
70mph may have been fine in the 60's when there was far less traffic on the motorways. There are too many vehicles on motorways today so increasing the limit wouldn't help at all. If there were the same number of cars on todays roads as there was in the 60's then I would agree with you, but there isn't."

Mr D Brown, you really must get out more.

There are many thousands of miles of roads and motorways, that can be driven without hardly seeing another motorist, if you travel the right roads at the right times of the day and night...should we be restricted to 70MPH on near deserted, straight, clear roads?

 "Posted by Mrdanbrown July 10, 2010 at 18:05
70mph may have been fine in the 60's when there was far less traffic on the motorways. There are too many vehicles on motorways today so increasing the limit wouldn't help at all. If there were the same number of cars on todays roads as there was in the 60's then I would agree with you, but there isn't."

Mr D Brown, you really must get out more.

There are many thousands of miles of roads and motorways, that can be driven without hardly seeing another motorist, if you travel the right roads at the right times of the day and night...should we be restricted to 70MPH on near deserted, straight, clear roads?

 "Posted by gaznav July 14, 2010 at 19:56
When the 70mph limit was introduced we were using cross-ply tyres, rack and pinion steering, drum brakes (all around!), no wheel balancing, etc... Now, we have radial tyres, ABS, DSC, disc brakes. I agree that motorways and dual carriageways are the SAFEST when compared to single carriageways. I say raise the speed limit to 80 or even 90 mph on motorways and dual carriageways and reduce the speed limits on single carriageways to 50mph in rural areas and 20mph in the towns (especially near schools)."

When the 70MPH limit was introduced, it was also introduced on Rural NSL roads. Why should they be reduced to 50MPH now then?

If we look at european statistics, France has an 85MPH speed limit and Germany has no speed limit, which country has the better motorway safety record. Germany of course. I believe that there could be an arguement to raise the motorway speed limit some what.

Another thread arguing the same thing.

The fact is we all know its not a case of speed its the quality of driving.

Derestictions doesnt mean you must drive at warp speed. You should how ever respect those drivers that want/need to get some wher faster and move over. I would wager all those who appose the idea of greater than 70mph are those exact same people who think it acceptable to sit in the middle lane or outside lane. Yet again proving their ignorance to the road and the road user.

Correct if people want to race find a race track, but people should be able to travel at greater speeds than at present.
Dangerous driving should always be punished, but that doesnt automaticly mean driving at 85/90 is dangerous.

The law should reflect this and adjust accordingly. For all those people who are happy to drive at 65/70 please sit in the left lane (as everyone should anyway) and let those who are travelling faster overtake.

A move to a 90 limit on the motorway would go some way to giving back the motorist a little of the restrictions imposed in other areas.

Totally agree with reverting to unlimited speed as the "National" speed limit. The Darwin principal would then apply. i.e. those that can't drive would crash and die and, therefore, wouldn't be driving along at 35mph holding up the rest of the world.
Any rational person knows that the real danger is inappropriate speed. So, why shouldn't we be allowed to drive at a decent and involving speed on an empty road.
Still, we know that this idea will be kicked into touch by the Health & Safety brigade. Also because, unfortunately, only 15% (a guess) of drivers are driving enthusiasts so we'll be out voted.