We all know that we have to obey the speed limit in order to reduce the risk of being involved in an accident or being issued with a motoring penalty, but buyers of insurance for young drivers may not know what to do when they haven’t seen a speed limit sign for a while and don’t know what speed they should be driving at.
Well, here are a few tips which should help everyone stick to the right speed limit, even if there are no signs to be seen along the road.
Different types of road will usually have certain speed limits assigned to them which will remain about the same (or exactly the same) all over the UK.
In built-up areas, like town centres and residential roads, drivers will usually find that their speed is restricted to 30mph or lower. This is to reduce the impact that traffic noise has on people living around the area, and of course to make it easier for motorists to stop in time if a pedestrian steps off the pavement in front of their vehicle.
A handy hint for recognising ‘built-up areas’ is by noting the street lighting. Normally, the presence of street lighting will signify to a road user that the limit is 30mph, unless it’s stated otherwise by a road sign. For example, some residential areas ask motorists to slow to 20mph.
Once out of a built-up area car drivers should not exceed 60mph on single carriage-ways and 70mph on dual carriage-ways (unless the speed has been restricted). Speeds for cars towing a caravan or trailer, and other types of vehicle are different, so please go to the DirectGov website for relevant information. New drivers should remember that it is important to reduce the speed of the vehicle if the weather is poor or if a sign stipulates a different speed limit. Drivers should always alter their speed according to the conditions on the road being travelled.
Currently (2012) the motorway speed limit is set at 70mph and may be increased to 80mph in 2013 in England and Wales, so, motorists should always make sure they are aware of current statutory speed limits for the country they are driving in.
However, motorists should pay attention to overhead motorway signs which are sometimes used to change the speed limit on certain stretches and lanes of the motorway if there are abnormal traffic conditions ahead.
In these situations, speed limits shown with a red ring around them are mandatory. If they do not have a red ring around them they are simply the speed being advised to motorists for their safety.
If you are a safe and considerate driver who always follows the speed limit, and if you take care in poor weather conditions and on unfamiliar roads, then you could be saving money with a policy from insurethebox.
Our car insurance, for young drivers is specifically for those who don’t want to be tarred with the girl/boy-racer brush, and is ideal for those who have positive driving habits and who want to improve their motoring skills even further.
Have a browse of the website to read more about how our cover works, and click on the get a quote button to see how much you could save!