More than one in two drivers drive too fast. But there is still a group of drivers who stand out in traffic, according to a new study.
A new study from the insurance company Folksam in Sweden sheds light on a worrying phenomenon.
Far too many professional road users, including taxi drivers, drive too fast. The many speeding violations constitute a risk in traffic.
Folksam recently conducted the survey to map the speed level of commercial drivers. It is a supplement to the police's own counts, where speed is also checked.
More than 14,500 measurements of commercial traffic speed were made in seven different areas in Sweden.
The study provides a picture of how speed limits are respected by those who make a living by driving.
The results are thought-provoking. Especially because the places where you have to drive slowly have the most violations. On roads with 30 and 40 kilometers per hour as the limit, more than half of the vehicles measured were driving faster than the permitted speed.
The situation is particularly critical near schools. Here, 47 percent of professional road users drive too fast. This creates insecurity for schoolchildren and other road users.
Speeding violations cost lives
The average speed limit was exceeded by 5.8 kilometers per hour. While that may not sound like much, even small increases in speed can have major consequences in the event of an accident.
The study also showed differences between vehicle types. Heavier vehicles, such as trucks, generally had a lower rate of speeding violations compared to lighter vehicles.
The taxi industry stood out negatively. A full 52 percent of the taxis measured were traveling faster than the permitted speed limit. This makes taxis the group with the most violations.
Security companies and transport and logistics companies also had a high proportion of speeding drivers. Here too, there is room for improvement in respect for speed limits.
Bus companies performed best in the study. Here, 'only' 32 percent of drivers were measured as speeding. However, that's still almost every third bus driver.
Focus on traffic safety
Anders Kullgren, head of research at Folksam, stresses the seriousness of the findings. "If everyone adhered to the speed limits, more than 70 lives could be saved in Sweden every year," he says.
The figures point to a need for increased focus on speed compliance. This is especially true in industries where most of the working day takes place on the roads. Speed is a crucial factor for road safety.
Folksam's study provides important insight into the behavior of professional road users. The results can be used to target efforts to reduce the number of speeding violations.
It is about both changing attitudes and possibly tightening controls. The goal is to create safer roads for all road users.
At Boosted.dk you can read more about traffic safety and the consequences of speeding. We always have the latest articles about fines, among other things. There are even indications that traffic alarms will be banned in several places, although this is under great protest. Read more about it here .