61% of drivers reach danger speeds on M62 claim Huddersfield safety charity

Oct 27 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A SAFETY chief in Huddersfield is urging drivers: “Slow down on our motorways”.

The message came from Brake campaigns director Julie Townsend as a new survey revealed most motorists are driving at dangerously high speeds on motorways.

More than half are also not leaving a big enough gap between their vehicle and the one in front, the poll by Huddersfield-based road safety charity Brake and Direct Line motor insurance found.

As many as 61% of drivers admitted to going at speeds of 80mph or more on motorways such as the M62 – at least 10mph above the limit, the survey showed.

Some 23% of motorists reached these excessive speeds at least once a week, the poll of 942 drivers revealed.

As many as 54% of motorists drive too near other vehicles on motorways, with 22% admitting to not leaving big enough gaps at least weekly.

Brake pointed out that there is a 40% greater chance that a crash on a motorway will cause death or serious injury than on other types of road.

As many as 20% of motorway accidents involve four or more vehicles.