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Speed

The old Government road safety slogan "Speed Kills" is still as true as it ever was, and speed plays a part in many fatal accidents. Always leave plenty of time for your journey so you don't have to rush and constantly overtake the vehicle in front to make up time. We have all seen it in the morning, the driver behind us, right up close, constantly looking to get past.

Allow plenty of time & drive responsibly

All Police forces now have departments who undertake speed enforcement, so even if you know where the fixed camera sites are, you never know where the mobile speed camera van will be. There are several enforcement sites within the Shefford area, and they are regularly policed. If you get "snapped" you can expect three points on your licence and a £60 fine. If you accumulate points and get over 10, then you can be disqualified from driving for a period.

It can be easy to get caught out, with some urban dual-carriageways having a 40 limit, so look out for the signs. If it's a built up area and the lamp posts aren't displaying 40mph signs, stick to 30mph, and watch out for schools, many of which have approach speed limits of 20mph at certain times.

Again some insurance companies will increase your premiums for points for speeding, and in the event of you having a crash and seriously injuring someone, the Police Crash Investigation Unit will attend the scene and will be able to calculate your pre-impact speed. Regardless of whose fault the collision was, if you are found to have been driving at 45mph in a thirty limit then some of the responsibility for what happened will lay at your door.

Can you imagine sitting listening to a Crash Investigation officer giving evidence and saying:

Stopping Distances

Although modern vehicles are fitted with advanced braking systems they still take time to stop. If your vehicle is travelling at 60 mph, in the time it takes you to react to a situation and move your right foot from the accelerator to the brake your car will have travelled 60 feet, that's 20 yards, or five times the length of an average car.

Your stopping distance is also affected by other factors, including the state of your vehicle. Brakes and tyres which are worn, won't work as efficiently as they should and will increase the time it takes you to stop.

Tired drivers or drivers who have had a drink will not react with the same speed as they normally do. Weather and road conditions also have an effect, so allow more space and time to stop on wet or icy roads.

Many vehicle occupants have died as the result of serious head injuries caused in this manner, so play safe and make sure everyone in the car is belted in.

Make sure you know the safe stopping distances for your vehicle. Stopping distances (Highway Code)

The Highway Code

Having used the Highway Code to look at stopping distances, let's quickly mention it here. Most of us spend hours with our noses buried in the Highway Code before our driving test and after we pass and then never look at it again. It's worth revisiting every now and then and it will probably have changed since you passed. So have a look at the latest version of the Highway Code. While we all like to think of ourselves as good and safe drivers you may just be amazed by what you have forgotten or what new regulations have been introduced since you last looked.