New research from RED Corporate Driver Training has revealed that a lack of awareness, rather than deliberate recklessness, is the leading cause of speeding.

Britain’s at-work drivers routinely break limits simply because they do not understand them.

Better training and education could help reduce speeding amongst working drivers and the general public.

Professional ignorance

RED surveyed its nationwide network of trainers, who collectively coach hundreds of company and commercial drivers every week.

Their feedback paints a consistent picture: the most frequent cause of speeding is ignorance of the correct limit, particularly for vans, pick-ups, and other commercial vehicles.

“In the majority of cases, untrained drivers are speeding on a regular and sustained basis purely because they don’t know what the speed limit is, or what applies to their particular vehicle,” said Greg Ford, RED’s Head of Corporate. “No wonder the number of speeding convictions is rising dramatically.”

On the move

Recent national figures support that concern.

Co-Op Insurance reported a 12 % rise in driving licence penalty points in 2024, bringing the total close to 10 million active endorsements across Great Britain.

Government data for 2023 also shows that 304 fatal collisions listed “exceeding the speed limit” as a contributory factor, accounting for around one in five of all fatal crashes that year.

Meanwhile, Department for Transport (DfT) data highlight how prevalent speeding has become: 45 % of vans exceed the 30 mph limit, and nearly half exceed motorway limits on free-flowing roads.

Across all vehicles, 51% of cars were recorded speeding on 30 mph roads in 2023, while more than eight in ten drivers admitted to seeing others drive “excessively fast” on motorways or dual carriageways, according to the RAC.

Why?

RED’s analysis found five main categories of speeding behaviour:

  1. Lack of speed-limit awareness — Around two in five fleet drivers misidentify limits on different road types, with confusion widespread among new or untrained drivers.

  2. Accidental transgression — Many drivers exceed limits simply through inattention, forgetting the last posted speed or failing to check road signs. Despite modern vehicles offering cruise control and limiters, RED says many neglect to use them.

  3. Not knowing vehicle-specific limits — Numerous drivers of pick-ups and heavier vans wrongly assume they follow car limits. Vehicles over 2,040 kg unladen are, in fact, restricted to 50 mph on single carriageways and 60 mph on dual carriageways.

  4. Variable-limit confusion — Smart motorways and temporary limits within roadworks often cause unintentional speeding through poor sign recognition.

  5. Deliberate speeding — Although it is now rarer, thanks to widespread camera enforcement, it still occurs, often due to time pressure or complacency.

Ford said even unintentional speeding poses serious risks: “Whether deliberate or not, a speeding vehicle is more dangerous. Drivers are often shocked when they see how often they exceed the limit without realising.”

Education and deterrents

RED is calling for renewed emphasis on education and awareness, including reinstating in-vehicle speed-limit reminder stickers and rolling out targeted refresher training.

For the general public, better education and awareness are needed, particularly of the consequences.

While there has been an increase in the use of speed cameras over the last decade, the same period has also witnessed a considerable reduction in the number of traffic police on the roads, acting as an effective deterrent to potential speeders.

“Every day our trainers see drivers’ reactions when shown examples of their own speeding,” Ford added. “There is an urgent need for education. Without it, the already damning numbers of speeding prosecutions will only continue to climb.”