A full 52% of Irish drivers break the speed limit, with the worst offenders among elderly road users, new figures revealed on Sunday.
As many people enjoy a drive this May Bank Holiday weekend, the new research by Liberty Insurance also found that 38% of over-60s have received a fine or penalty points for speeding, compared with the national average of 26% drivers.
Only 51% of Irish motorists are “always” aware of the speed limit for the road they are driving on, while 46% claim to be aware of the speed limit “most of the time”, according to the survey conducted by RED C Research.
Munster drivers showed the highest awareness of speed limits - but Dublin drivers fared worst. A full 53% of drivers in Munster claimed to be “always” aware of the speed limits but this was true for only 48% of drivers in Dublin.
Connacht and Ulster have the highest percentage of drivers who are “always aware” of their own speed when driving, with 69% confident in their speed awareness. Of these drivers in Connacht and Ulster, 58% claim to never break the speed limit.
“We are all aware that speeding is a major problem on Irish roads, particularly on rural roads,” said Siobhan Fay of Liberty Insurance.
“Part of the problem may be a low awareness of speed limits amongst road users or complacency while driving. We need to ensure that all road users are aware of the speed limits and increase the level of diligence by motorists to exercise more care and attention while driving.”
