Speeding - Thought Leadership Series

Speeding - The next in our monthly ScORSA thought leadership series

This month, we asked Superintendent Andy Barclay, Deputy Head of Roads Policing, from Police Scotland, for his insights on speeding.

Andy highlights the scale of the issue:

"1 in 5 deaths on Scotland’s roads are caused by speeding. Many of those driving for work claim not to be aware of the reduced speed limits for the vehicles that they are driving. Amongst many motorists speeding is still not considered socially unacceptable or as a serious offence in line with other road traffic offences such as wearing seatbelts and using a mobile phone. No matter how experienced you are as a driver, a collision could happen to anyone, and the consequences could be devastating. You only have to lose control once."

On the pressures affecting people driving for work:

"There are several factors such as running late, being stuck in traffic, distracted driving or simply disobeying the speed limit. People who drive for work might also think their time is more precious than other road users. Rushed drivers can become distracted and unaware of the speed they are travelling."

And the role organisations can play:

"The vision is for Scotland to have the best Road Safety performance in the world by 2030. Together, making Scotland’s roads safer is key to this ambition. Police Scotland will continue to work with our partners and other organisations to achieve this by maximising education and enforcement opportunities to improve road safety for all road users. Organisations can set the tone through the delivery of Road Safety messaging to their staff. Encouraging staff to reduce their speed reduces their chances of a serious collision."