There is a strong relationship between speed and accidents, so slow down when driving.
Going over the speed limit means you’ll have less time to react to hazards and your stopping distance is increased. If the worst happens and you do have an accident, the damage - or worse, the injuries - will be more severe.
Remember – the speed limit is the legal maximum speed for that road. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe to drive at that speed, so you’ll need to judge the conditions.
You can improve your speeding score by making sure you are within the legal speed limit for the road which you’re driving on, while considering other factors, such as:
- Whether the road layout or conditions present hazards, such as bends. Even if the road is a 60mph limit, it may not be safe to take a sharp bend at this speed.
- Whether you are sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists. Reduce speed to give yourself enough time to look at what's around you and be able to react to anything unexpected.
- Whether there are harsh or severe weather conditions. Stopping distances will be greater and you may have less control of the car so you will drive more safely if you slow down.
- Whether it is dark - driving at night makes it more difficult to see other road users, so slowing down gives you more time to react to what's around you.
Why not watch our helpful video on improving your speed score?
Keywords: DBS, driving score, speeding, behaviour, save money