Britons heading to Europe face nightmare of being unable to pick up hire car upon arrival

Britons heading to Europe on holiday are facing the nightmare of arriving at their destination and not being able to hire a car, thanks to a controversial driving licence shake-up.

On June 8 The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is scrapping the paper counterpart that accompanies all UK plastic photocard licences. 

The counterpart shows all the Information about penalty points for traffic violations such as speeding.

From June 8, holidaymakers heading abroad will have to log on to the DVLA website the day before and put in their driving licence number to obtain a special code to give to their car hire company when they arrive at the desk.

But fears are growing that the new rules will mean people could be turned away because many car hire firms abroad will still insist on examining the paper document to check for endorsements or bans.

Also anyone hiring a car in the second week of their trip faces having to find an internet cafe or pay expensive roaming charges as the passcode to access the infprmation is valid for only 72 hours

Mark Bower, of the car hire insurance website MoneyMaxim, said holidaymakers could endure major problems at car hire desks across Europe. He added: ‘Most people are simply unaware that these changes are on the way – and it is not just renters.

‘I spoke to one big car hire firm in Portugal this week and they knew nothing of the changes. Six weeks away from implementation, the whole thing is very muddled.

‘It is another thing you have to remember to do just before departure. Or you can do it at the desk with your smartphone if you can remember the website address, don’t mind the data roaming charges, can remember your national insurance number and are impervious to the long queue developing behind you.’

Mr Bower also said unscrupulous firms might use the issue as ‘another excuse’ to persuade people to pay for extra insurance.

Motorists will also be able to download their driving history as a printable PDF file, although it is unclear whether all car hire firms will accept that, or how drivers without access to a computer will cope.

The DVLA insists the changes have been widely publicised. But consumers booking car hire for holidays after June have not been warned the new rules are being introduced. The terms and conditions of most car hire firms still explicitly state that paper counterparts must be produced.

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, which represents the industry, says UK hirers unaware of the rule change will be treated in the same way as those who currently turn up without both parts of the licence.

The DVLA said the system, called Share Driving Licence, would be ready in time for June 8. A spokesman said: ‘There is up-to-date information on the website and we are working closely with the industry to ensure that their systems and processes are ready for the changes.’

The two-part licence was introduced in 1998 but many drivers found it inconvenient. From June 8, paper counterparts will be invalid and should be destroyed. Motorists with old-style paper driving licences from before 1998 can continue to use them.

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Driver caught speeding at 136mph on the A5 in Conwy

Four people were caught driving at speeds of over 120mph on roads in Wales last year - with one topping 136mph, the Institute of Advanced Motorists has revealed.

Three of the worst speeders were caught on the A5 in north Wales, while the other was on the M4 in south Wales.

It said the 136mph driver broke the 60mph limit in Conwy by 76mph and was one of the worst cases in Britain.

The figures for 2014 were released following a freedom of information request from IAM to the welsh forces. The figures showed Wales' worst speeder was recorded by North Wales Police at 136mph on the A5 Ty Nant to Dinmael road in Conwy.

The A5 also saw two further instances of over 120mph speeding recorded; 122mph on the Ty Nant-Cerrigydrudion stretch in Conwy; and 121mph at Halton, Wrexham.

The final case of 120mph being exceeded was captured by South Wales Police: 125mph on the M4 between Junction 35 Pencoed and Junction 34 Miskin, where a 70mph limit is in force.

The charity is campaigning for an increase in visible policing to deter excessive speeders.

Best car protest ever?!

Ravi Beefnah has plastered his £35,000 Audi A5 with slogans and parked it outside the dealership he bought it from because it uses a litre of oil every time he fills it up.

The Audi A5 is covered in red lettering and has been parked outside the entrance of the dealership in Chelmsford, Essex since February as a warning to other buyers.

Now months later and Mr Beefnah's protest is still there, with the owner claiming that Audi have failed to resolve his long-running complaint about the engine and fix the car.

"You just don't expect problems when buying a brand new car from what is supposed to be a reputable company. I decided that the car's not fit for purpose and I'm not going to be able to drive it so I might as well get some use out of it.

Audi admits there was a problem with some of the engines and has offered to fix cars with the issue free of charge, including Mr Beefnah's.

Before professionally printing the signs onto the Audi, the motorist had the claims reviewed by a solicitor before checking the legality of long-term parking outside the dealership with police.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Election: Lib dems would raise on average by £25 a year

If the Liberal Democrats gain power Car tax will increase on average by £25 a year by 2017/18, with drivers of gas guzzlers facing even higher bills!

Figures released by the party in a pre-manifesto briefing show an extra £485 million will be raised by the rebanding in 2016/17 and £850
million in 2017/18.

At a central London press conference, Mr Clegg rejected the assertion that the tax hike amounted to a new "war on motorists", insisting the measure was to maintain the "status quo" on the revenue raised.

He said: "It's a revenue retention measure - we simply want to maintain the same amount of money from the overall vehicle duty system as we set out in 2010.

"This is just to make sure as the system shifts around because people are buying lower emission vehicles, we still generate the same revenue."

Under current VED rates, petrol and diesel cars which emit less than 100g of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometre pay no tax, while the dirtiest vehicles with emissions of more than 255g per kilometre pay £505.

An aide to the Lib Dem leader said: "In 2010 we put out a projection of how much we thought we would get from VED.

"The take-up of fuel-efficient cars has been faster than the Government expected, which means that the overall revenue has fallen, so that is restoring it.

"What we have said we will do, this is exactly as has been done before, is we will work with the automotive industry to work out the next setting and banding, continuing to incentivise lower carbon-emitting cars."

The source said: "Higher emitting cars will pay a little bit more to make sure we get the revenue we want."

The exact impact on individual models will be the subject of a consultation with the motor industry.

But the source said: "There are around 32 million cars on UK roads. Under the revenue raised by 2017/18 that will be an average of an increase by £25 a year.

"But of course that would depend on your carbon emissions."

Source : home.bt.com

Delays after dog crashes tractor on motorway

Image credit thewebawards.com/dogs-driving

A dog caused long tailbacks after it took "control of a tractor" and crashed it through a fence onto a busy motorway.

The bizarre incident was reported by Traffic Scotland at junction 13 of the M74 near Abington in South Lanarkshire.

#The dog had apparently leaned on the controls of the tractor, taking it from a field on to the road before crashing into the central reservation having gone through a fence at around 8.15am.
The dog was uninjured in the incident.

#M74 (N) J13-RTC due to dog taking control of tractor... nope, not joking. Farmer&police at scene,vehicle in central res. #maycausetailbacks
— Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) April 22, 2015

#M74 (N) at J13 - Route is CLEAR from earlier incident & dog is fine. Has to be the weirdest thing we have ever reported! No delays in area
— Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) April 22, 2015

The incident led to plenty of dog puns as people responded to Traffic Scotland's tweets.
Tony T wrote: "Police investigating, so far no leads," while Beverley Friend added: "This is barking."
Michelle Muirhead asked: "Will the dog have points on his licence? Was he breathalysed? Did police arrest him?"

Tougher sentences for disqualified drivers

Brake has congratulated the Government on delivering tougher sentences for disqualified drivers as part of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act, which came into force on Monday, April 13).

Under the new rules anyone convicted of causing death by driving while disqualified will face a maximum of 10 years in prison, up from only two years previously.

There is also a new offence that has been created "causing serious injury by driving while disqualified" anyone convicted of this offence will face up to four years in prison.

Ed Morrow, campaigns officer for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “This is an important day for everybody involved in campaigning for better justice for victims of criminal driving.

“Getting behind the wheel when a court has already found you to be a danger on the road, and has disqualified you from doing so, is one of the most selfish decision you can make as a driver.

“It is entirely right that maximum sentences are being increased, and we hope that judges will make use of them where appropriate.

“This is a good first step to securing better justice for victims and families, many of whom have been left feeling betrayed by inappropriate charges and paltry sentences.”

The road safety charity says that there are a number of other urgent issues with how the justice system handles cases of criminal driving, and it will be pressuring whoever forms the next Government to follow the current Ministry of Justice review through to a satisfactory conclusion.

Source Fleet News

DVLA car clampings and £800 fines soar because motorists don't know about rule changes

Thousands of motorists have been fined or had their cars towed away after falling foul of new rules following the switch to digital tax discs.

Many are buying used cars unaware that the old paper documents are now automatically cancelled when a vehicle changes hands.

Ignorant that they must fork out for a new digital one – even if the existing paper disc is months from expiry – rising numbers of drivers are falling prey to clampers.

Critics allege that the DVLA has been operating a 'money-making scam' after figures yesterday showed clamping soared after the paperless system was introduced in October last year.

Many say the authority was too quick to penalise motorists without first warning that their car was not taxed. Drivers have faced bills of up to £800 to get their impounded vehicles back.

The DVLA was accused of 'heavy-handed and Draconian' behaviour yesterday after figures showed its use of clamping rocketed by 60 per cent from about 5,000 vehicles a month before the changes to 8,630 last month.

With no right to appeal against the fines to an independent body, drivers have little choice but to pay up. 

The DVLA is estimated to be making millions of pounds a year because it receives double road tax payment – from both the seller and the buyer.

A DVLA spokesman said: 'The changes have been widely publicised and we write to every vehicle keeper to remind them of the new rules before the vehicle tax expires.

'We also write to every new vehicle keeper when they buy a used vehicle to inform them that they must tax the vehicle before they use it. 

'In addition, if a driver does not tax their car we will send a warning letter to remind them to tax as they are at risk of enforcement action.' 

"The driverless car industry is destined to kill more jobs than it creates in Britain"

I came across this interesting article by Mike Rutherford "We need a more realistic approach to driverless cars"

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has its heart in the right place. But the “voice of the motor industry” needs a more balanced and realistic approach to driverless cars.
It’s so ecstatic about the prospect of them that I’m viewing its figures with extreme caution, if not deep suspicion. Furthermore, some of its opinions relating to Britain’s role in the global driverless vehicle industry seem very ambitious.

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'Stealth' cameras lead to 25 per cent rise in people caught speeding in just one year

25 percent more drivers have been fined on motorways in the last 12 months through the use of unmarked ‘stealth cameras’.

New figures reveal that the number of drivers caught out by the ‘grey cameras’ (Hadecs) have soared, with 112,000 divers given penalty notices or sent to court for offences on the motorway in the last year alone.

The increased use of these ‘smart motorways’ that have variable speed limits, open the hard-shoulder to ease congestion and employ digital speed cameras are considered to be the driving force behind the rise, the Times reported.

Often drivers were caught out for breaking variable limits well below 70mph. Stretches of the M1, M25, M4 and M5 have become the most notorious for catching speeders.

As the use of smart motorways is extended from current levels of around 200 miles to 800 miles over the next ten years, the number of fines is set to rise even more.

Critics have lashed out at the system over the use of the less noticeable cameras in the place of more visible yellow cameras. Highways England, which manages highways and A roads, is reviewing grey cameras and may decide to paint them yellow, the Conservatives have said.

Information obtained by the Times in a recent Freedom of Information request showed that last year, in 24 out of 45 police forces 112,654 motorists were given speeding penalties with a minimum fine of £100 and three points on their licence.

In 2013 88,857 were handed the same penalty, compared with 71,922 in 2012, 78,696 in 2011 and 54,720 in 2010.

Highways England has said automated, smart motorways smooth traffic flow and speed up journeys. It added that the majority of drivers stick to speed limits and all cameras are sign posted.

Police forces themselves have the power to decide if they will use the cameras to enforce penalties.

Police in Somerset caught 23,086 motorists speeding in 2014 – a dramatic increase on the 756 that were caught one year earlier.

The rise was attributed to tougher measures taken on one portion of a smart motorway

Images: dailymail.co.uk

M11 biker Paul Roberts banned after speeding at 148mph (238km/h)

A motorcyclist filmed speeding along the M11 at 148mph (238km/h) has been banned from driving for 15 months.

Police dashboard cameras caught Paul Roberts, 43, weaving in and out of traffic on his Kawasaki ZZR 1400 while carrying a pillion passenger last September.

Roberts, from Malkin Driver Lane, Harlow, was banned at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Coventry's Tollbar island catches thousands speeding

Tollbar Island with the junction of London Road
Image: coventrytelegraph.net

Tollbar island is best known for long delays - despite these delays average speed cameras positioned in roadworks caught out nearly 3,500 drivers last year

The cameras operate on a 40mph stretch of A45 between Tollbar and the Festival Island and are designed to protect contractors working on the £106million project.

The Highways Agency say work on the new underpass takes place around the clock.

The roadworks have been described as the worst in the country, with motorists experiencing long delays during the typical working week.

At the time a Highways Agency spokesman said: “We are committed to making sure disruption for the drivers who use the junction every day is kept to an absolute minimum and we plan roadworks very carefully.

“Wherever possible lanes are closed at quieter times and we do our best to keep lanes open while we work, avoiding the need to divert traffic.”

The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three penalty points.

The figures come as fixed speed cameras in the region look set to make a comeback after 304 were controversially switched off a year ago.

Some motorists have posted on internet forums suggesting that the fixed speed camera on the Ryton side of the A45, close to Tollbar, is working again though.

Queensland Barrister To Challenge Fine With Legal Loophole

Image Today / Nine News

A top Queensland barrister will use case law dating back 200 years to try to avoid a $146 speeding fine.

Tony Morris QC is mounting a landmark legal challenge against Queensland's speed-camera laws, The Courier-Mail reports.

Mr Morris says he wasn't driving when his Volvo was photographed doing 57km/h in a 50km/h zone last year.

But he won't say who was behind the wheel.

He has invoked a spousal privilege case from 1817, arguing it's unconstitutional for a Queensland court to fine him when there's evidence he was not the driver.

He says he was in a meeting with top judges when the Volvo was snapped, and they are willing to testify that he was with them.

He argues the spousal privilege principle, established in England 200 years ago, means a husband can't be compelled to provide information that incriminates his wife

"I decline to identify the person who was in charge of the vehicle at the relevant time,' Mr Morris reportedly wrote in a letter to the Department of Transport.

Earlier this year, Mr Morris wrote to federal, state and territory attorneys-general saying he planned to challenge parts of Queensland's speed-camera laws

Under the laws, the registered owner of a car has two options: name the driver or say they don't know who was driving. Car owners can't, under the law, say they know who the driver was but refuse to give a name.

Mr Morris has told The Courier-Mail he can't see why he should dob someone in for driving the car when the legislation is invalid.

He said the Volvo caught by the speed camera was not his usual car, but would not tell the paper who usually drove it.

The case will go to the Court of Appeal within weeks.

An autonomous car just drove across the USA

STEPHEN LAM/Reuters/Corbis via wired.com

An autonomous car just drove across the USA.

Nine days after leaving San Francisco, the car rolled into New York City after crossing 15 states and 3,400 miles to make history.

99 percent of the driving was done by the car on its own, a human behind the wheel only when it was time to leave the highway and hit city streets.

This amazing feat, by the automotive supplier Delphi, underscores the great leaps this technology has taken in recent years, and just how close it is to becoming a part of our lives. 

You’d have to look twice to spot the cameras and LIDaR around the car; the radars are hidden behind plastic body panels. Even the trunk looks ordinary, which is quite a feat—Delphi packed all the necessary computers in the spare tire compartment. That was intentional, Owens says. “We were kind of going for the remarkably unremarkable look.” The reason for this modesty is any tech Delphi pitches to automakers has to be unobtrusive and production-ready. 

Today, most of the world’s major automakers are working on autonomous technology, with Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Volvo leading the pack. Google may be more advanced than anyone: The tech giant says its self-driving cars are so far along, they can recognize and respond to hand signals from a cop directing traffic.

Most automakers are taking a slow and steady approach to the technology and plan to roll it out over time. Most expect to have cars capable of handling themselves in stop and go traffic and on the highway within three to five years. Cars capable of navigating more complex urban environments will follow in the years beyond that, while fully autonomous vehicles are expected to be commonplace by 2040.

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Are untaxed drivers getting away with it now paper discs have gone?

Image and full story confused.com

The abolition of the tax disc October 2014 raised fears it would become easier for motorists to get away without paying Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
The  DVLA says that, despite some motoring organisations warning that the change could lead to a sharp rise in the number of untaxed vehicles, "the vast majority of drivers continue to tax their vehicles on time".

A spokesman adds: "Since 1 October, more than 16-and-a-half million drivers have taxed their vehicles – with over 70% doing it online, more than ever before."

The DVLA is confident that the new system will not see more tax evasion. This is mainly because even before its abolition, the tax disc was not the chief means of ensuring VED had been paid. The DVLA staff rely on its own database to see who has failed to tax their vehicles, with the keeper of an untaxed car sent a penalty notice in the post.

Fines for failing to pay tax can be steep: there is a potential fixed-penalty notice fine of £50 and untaxed vehicles can be clamped, with a £100 release fee charged. A £160 surety also has to be paid before the vehicle is released, although this is refunded provided the vehicle is taxed within two weeks.

ANPR cameras are also used to catch offenders, says Ian Crowder at the AA.
"There is the risk that the abolition of tax disc will encourage some people to believe these things won't be followed up," he adds.

It would appear however that changes to the vehicle tax system that were introduced at the same time as the disc was phased out are catching some motorists out. These changes meant that tax on a vehicle no longer carries over to a new owner as it did before October 2014 making it the responsibility of the buyer to pay tax immediately even if the vehicle is only part way through its current tax year. (the seller will automatically get a refund of any tax remaining when they sell it)

"This simplifies the process of buying and selling used vehicles as now all new keepers must tax the vehicle before they use it rather than having to find out if it’s taxed or whether the seller has had the tax refunded."

Speeding taxi driver avoids jail after lying about driver

Image:castletaxiscanterbury.com

62-year-old Mohammed Malik claimed a mechanic was driving his Toyota Avensis when it was clocked traveling at 37mph in a 30 zone in Washwood Heath Road, Birmingham, in April last year.

Officers then wrote to the mechanic, only to have the letter returned saying he no longer lived at the address given. They also visited the address and found it was a residential property that had never been a garage.

This aroused more suspicion, so police then spoke to the cabbie's firm to get a print out of his journeys on the day in question - they clearly showed Malik had actually picked up a fare at the time, with the person clearly visible on speeding camera footage sitting in the back seat.
Still, Malik insisted it was his mechanic at the wheel.

With the evidence stacking against him, Malik finally admitted the speeding offence and was subsequently charged with perverting the course of justice for lying about who was behind the wheel.
The driver, of Coleshill Road, Ward End, pleaded guilty to the charge and on 31 March he was handed a four month prison sentence - suspended for 18 months - plus 80 hours unpaid work and costs of £400. He was also banned from driving for six months.

PC Steve Jevons said "Malik may have avoided jail but the suspended sentence is hanging over him for the next year-and-a-half and it’s likely he will now be stripped of his taxi licence. With no livelihood, clearly this will have a huge impact on his life and he will have to ask himself if all his lies were worth the risk. We hope this case serves as a warning to others that lying to the police and the authorities is a serious offence and can ultimately land you behind bars."

Could driverless cars own themselves?

image: herbiemania.com

Emancipated automobiles sounds like a crazy concept (cars that own themselves). But his is a "thought experiment" to inspire by Mike Hearn.

Mr Hearn is a Zurich-based software developer is both an ex-Google engineer and one of the leading Bitcoin software developers.

At the heart of his vision is the idea that once driverless cars become commonplace, most people won't want or need to own a vehicle any more. And in a world dominated by self-steering taxis, each ride becomes cheaper if the vehicles are autonomous rather than owned and run by major corporations.

Instead of controlling which car goes where via proprietary software, the cars would communicate with people and the surrounding infrastructure via a new internet-based commerce system, he dubs the Tradenet.

"You would be using an app that goes onto Tradenet and says: 'Here I am, this is where I want to go, give me your best offers,'" the developer says.

"The autonomous taxis out there would then submit their best prices, and that might be based on how far away they are, how much fuel they have, the quality of their programming.

"Eventually you pick one - or your phone does it for you - and it's not just by the cheapest price, but whether the car has a good track record of actually completing rides successfully and how nice a vehicle it is."

The car, in turn, would communicate with the sensor-equipped roads it drives on, offering its passengers the ability to pay extra to go in faster lanes or unlock access to shortcuts - the cost of which would be determined by how many others wanted the same thing.

One expert, who has considered the proposal, suggested it was both "realistic and idealistic" at the same time.

Realistic, because the technologies involved are likely to become available within the next 10 to 20 years. Idealistic, because it flies in the face of how the car industry works.

To hear more about Mike Hearn's idea of self-owning cars you can watch his presentation on the subject.

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2015 Ford S-MAX will help avoid speeding fines

Ford has confirmed the new driving technologies that will feature on its next-generation S-MAX. The seven-seater MPV goes on sale during summer 2015.

The biggest highlight of the new driving technologies is called Intelligent Speed Limiter. It can stop drivers from exceeding the speed limit and therefore avoid speeding fines.

The S-MAX can determine what the current speed limit is using an onboard camera and/or map data from the car’s sat-nav. The Ford can decrease engine torque by electronically adjusting the amount of fuel delivered whenever it surpasses the current set speed limit.

Source: carkeys.co.uk.

Gridlock coming to a road near you this weekend!

This Easter weekend Britain is facing gridlock as engineering works on the railways and the Bank Holiday getaway coincide. 

As many as 16 million motorists are set to take to the roads over Easter, with four million traveling on Good Friday and 4.5 million on Easter Sunday.

'The first spring bank holiday of the year traditionally heralds the start of busier weekends on the nation's roads,' said RAC head of external affairs Pete Williams.

He went on: 'This Easter is set to be a hectic one with 16 million of us getting behind the wheel for an Easter break, but at least we will benefit from the longer days and lighter evenings to complete our journeys.' 

The Highways Agency is also maintaining 55 sets of roadworks over the Bank Holiday weekend meaning Parts of the M1, M3, M4 and M6 likely to be hit by lane closures or speed restrictions. ( they are lifting 62 roadworks temporarily to ease the congestion).  

The increase in the number of people planning to travel by car is thought to have been in part triggered by a significant shutdown of the rail network including the West Coast main line, First Great Western and Greater Anglia - forcing passengers to make diversions on slower trains or spend hours on the dreaded replacement coaches. 

Network Rail said engineering works were planned over the Easter holidays because passenger numbers fell by 20 per cent. 

In a move that has been described by an expert as 'adding insult to injury', Virgin Trains and London Midland have cancelled advanced cheap fares forcing passengers to purchase more expensive off-peak tickets. 

Both Virgin and London Midland say they cannot offer advance fares as the tickets would not be valid with other operators and replacement services. 

The gloomy weather forecast this Bank Holiday weekend will increase the traffic on Britain's roads as travellers go abroad in search of sunshine.

Figures from Gatwick airport show that more than two million passengers are expected to fly off for foreign holidays over the Easter break - a four per cent rise on the same period last year.

Almost 50,000 more people than last year have bought air tickets for travel over the Easter weekend compared with last year. Barcelona, Dublin and Malaga are the most popular destinations. 

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You might think that 30mph was chosen using scientific evidence but you would be wrong....

Back in 1934, just prior to the introduction of the 30mph speed limit, there were only around one-tenth of the cars on the road today, but four times as many associated deaths.

There had previously been a blanket 20mph speed limit, set in the 1903 Motor Car Act, but it was repealed for light vehicles in 1930. The spate of deaths caused a change of heart in government in 1934 and 1935, with 30mph brought in for built-up areas.

You might think that 30mph was chosen using scientific evidence but you would be wrong....

"It was pulled out of a hat," says Rod King, founder of the 20's Plenty for Us campaign, which believes that the 30mph limit today is no longer appropriate, credible or acceptable.

"The 30mph limit is compromised beyond belief," says King. Cities including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Cambridge, Liverpool, Oxford, Brighton, Newcastle and Edinburgh, have introduced 20mph limits on some roads in their jurisdiction. The Lib Dems have even considered 10mph limits in some areas.

While motoring organisations the RAC and the AA have expressed support for 20mph limits outside schools, they oppose a blanket change from 30 to 20.

Today there are three typical speed limits across the UK:

• a 30mph limit on roads with street lighting (which is taken to indicate a built-up area)
• a 60mph national speed limit on single carriageways
• and a 70mph top speed on dual carriageways and motorways

The limits are meant to keep everybody safe. The Department for Transport (DfT) says that for every 1mph the average speed of vehicles reduces on roads, there are 6% fewer accidents.
Speed limits should be "evidence-led and self-explaining", the DfT explains, and "should be seen by drivers as the maximum speed rather than as a target speed at which to drive irrespective of conditions". Road safety in the UK is relatively good, with one death on the roads for every 20,000 cars.