Britain's speediest motorists revealed
More than one in 10 motorists have a speeding conviction on their driving licence according to new research, which also shows where you live could affect your chances of having one.
Car insurance expert, Admiral looked at statistics from the last 5 years to see which postcode areas have the highest percentage of motorists with a speeding conviction. It found that motorists living in parts of Hertfordshire, Dorset and Surrey are the most likely to have points for speeding. Over a quarter (26%) of drivers in Radlett, Hertfordshire have a speeding conviction, the highest percentage in Britain. This compares to just 6% of drivers living in St Ives, Cornwall, the lowest according to Admiral's statistics.
As well as Radlett, other areas with high percentages include Sandbanks in Poole, Dorset with 24%, Leatherhead in Surrey with 23% and Westbourne in Bournemouth, Dorset also with 23%. These all compare to a national average of 14%.
Along with St Ives, other areas with low percentages include Small Heath in Birmingham, Wemyss Bay in Inverclyde and Cottingham in East Yorkshire.
Admiral managing director, Sue Longthorn, said, "We wanted to see if there was a pattern between where people live and the frequency of speeding convictions, and to see an area where over a quarter of drivers have a conviction is a real surprise. This is even more astonishing when you consider that someone living in the area with the lowest percentage is 4 times less likely to have a conviction than the top one."
Admiral also wanted to know people's opinions when it comes to speeding, so questioned drivers as part of its Annual Survey of Motorists. It found a massive 87% admit to breaking the speed limit and 69% think the speed limit on the motorway should be 80mph or more.
Sue continued, "Our statistics show a worrying trend that people see a speed limit as simply a guide rather than a speed that's appropriate for that road. It's a wonder that the national average for speeding convictions isn't higher given this fact.
"If we look at these statistics in the years to come, it'll be interesting to see if speeding convictions come down in the areas where speed cameras are being switched off."