One of the biggest factors in your driving feedback is speed. Speed is recorded as a cause in 56%* of fatal crashes, so it’s your top concern when it comes to safety.
Speeding is also one of the easiest ways to get pulled over by the police – which risks a fine, points on your licence, or even a ban. If someone gets hurt because you crashed due to speed? A potential prison sentence.
Controlling your speed isn't just about avoiding a penalty; it's about reducing the risk of a crash and how severe that crash would be. Speeding is a choice, not a skill – and it's one of the easiest habits to fix.
Your goal: stay within the speed limits at all times.
Easy ways to improve your speed
Check your speedometer regularly: just a quick flick of your eyes to stay aware. It's easy to lose focus and not realise how fast you're going. Get into the habit of checking and you soon won’t even notice you’re doing it.
Look for clues, not just signs: speed limits aren't always signposted perfectly. Look for other clues that the limit might be lower, like streetlights, schools, pedestrian crossings or roundabouts. These all signal caution.
Pay close attention to 20 mph zones: 20 zones are being introduced in more and more towns. If you're not paying attention, you could easily be 10mph over the limit as you enter the zone.
Use your speed limiter: if your car has cruise control or a speed limiter, use it on motorways and dual carriageways to help you stay at the right speed without effort.
Drive in the appropriate gear: if you’re driving a manual car, staying in second gear for 20mph, third gear for 30mph, fourth gear for 40mph and only fifth gear for 50mph+ will help you stay aware of your speed. You’ll be able to hear and feel your engine struggling if you start driving too fast.
Tell your passengers to pipe down: having passengers early in your driving career isn’t a great idea full stop. If you do take passengers, it’s your car and your rules. Any pressure from them on how fast you’re driving should get them a ban from lifts.
Plan ahead: being in a rush is the biggest reason for speeding. Give yourself an extra 10 minutes for your journey to avoid feeling pressured.
As always, make sure EVERYONE in your car is wearing a seatbelt. Even at low speeds, seatbelts can make the difference between lifechanging injuries and everyone walking away unharmed.
* Department for Transport (DfT), Reported road casualties Great Britain: fatal 4 - speed factsheet, 2023