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Spotlight on speed
Page 22
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Increased fuel consumption, a greater risk of accidents, higher insurance
costs — excessive speed can hurt your business in many different ways.
The latest DfT survey identifies the most likely offenders.
Vehicle speed is something that can affect your business in many different ways. It has a direct impact on fuel consumption, vehicle and engine wear, driver and load safety and your company's reputation.
Excessive speed can easily result in heavy fines or a serious crash. A few miles per hour too many could mean an increased risk to your drivers and third parties -and more chance of possible litigation against you and your business.
Examples of specific costs are speeding f ines/f ixedpenalty notices and increased insurance premiums because of points on your driver's licence. In more extreme cases your insurance company might fail to pay out for a new vehicle following an accident if it was caused by your driver driving above the speed limit leaving you with five-figure costs.
Everyday costs will also rise as fuel consumption increases and more strain is put on the driveline. There is the argument that keeping to the limit when driving down slopes wears down the brakes a lot quicker but that's why they make retarders. In any case, rapid brake wear will be the least of your problems if your vehicle causes a crash.
This week's Yardstick looks at average goods vehicle speeds, just released by the Department for Transport, and highlights the classes of drivers who most need to be told to slow down.
Vehicles are listed in three categories: light goods vehicles (less than 3.5 tonnes): 3/4-axle rigids: and artics. Vehicles with a GVW above 3.5 tonnes are now fitted with speed limiters that restrict their maximum speed to 56mph. This survey was completed before the fitment of speed limiters on vehicles with a GVW between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes.
As expected, both artic and rigid trucks stay well within the 60mph speed limit on the motorway because of their speed limiters. Light goods vehicles, which currently have no restrictions, are the most likely vehicles to speed by more than lOmph, both on motorways and dual carriageways. Some 86% of artics speed on dual carriageways, though within 10% of the speed limit.
The big surprise is the data on single carriageways. White Van Men around the UK will be pleased to learn that they are the most sensible group on these roads.
Some 27% of all articulated vehicles drive at least more than 10m ph over their 40mph speed limit on single carriageways, with 18% of rigids doing the same.
On urban roads with 30mph and 40mph limits, the three vehicle categories do not vary by much. LGVs are the main offenders by a narrow margin. But what is noticeable is that all vehicles are more likely to overstep the speed limit by at least 5mph on a 30mph road than on a 40mph road.