All new cars sold in the UK will have to be fitted with a speed limiter to help stay within the speed limit and enhance road safety.
This is a part of The European Commission’s provisional agreement that all new vehicles sold in Europe will be fitted with a speed limiter from July 2022. The 2019/2044 regulation also mandates all new cars that have already launched be fitted with an Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) by 7th July 2024.
Although the UK is leaving the EU, it is understood that they are likely to adopt the same regulations even after Brexit. The UK has maintained most of the EU laws for new cars.
Why is this deemed an important move?
With around 26,000 road deaths in Europe each year, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has been campaigning for mandatory speed limiters in the belief that this move can help to reduce collisions by 30%.
The European Commission has said the speed limiters (along with other measures included in the legislation) could prevent 140,000 serious road traffic injuries by 2038. Overall, it hopes to cut road deaths to zero by 2050.
In the UK, the national speed limit is 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways however, many cars go up to 120mph top speed. Police reported 2.2 million speeding offences in 2020, nearly half of these people chose to complete a speed awareness course. Government figures for reported road casualties in Great Britain, show there were an estimated 1,472 reported road deaths and an estimated 23,486 killed or seriously injured casualties in 2020.
What is a speed limiter?
A speed limiter is an ISA, which uses either a video or GPS system to detect speed. It is fitted inside the vehicle and ensures it doesn’t cross a certain speed set by the driver. If they are going too fast, then the vehicle will intervene and slow the vehicle by reducing power to the engine. This does not affect the braking system and if needed for overtaking, it can be overridden by pressing hard on the accelerator.
What else is included in the legislation?
There are additional compulsory safety equipment included in the new EU regulations such as autonomous braking system (required for five stars in the Euro NCAP safety crash tests),
data loggers (black box technology), emergency stop signal, driver fatigue detection system, lane keep assist, built-in breathalysers which won’t let you start the car if you fail and reversing sensors or cameras. Many of these systems are already widely available in many cars sold in the UK.
What else can be done to improve driver safety?
Training – Businesses can help to improve driver safety through education by introducing driver safety training for all company vehicle users and the wider business if appropriate.
Policies – Ensure your company policies around driving and vehicle use is clear and well presented. Include your drugs and alcohol policies within this too.
Regular feedback – use technology and feedback to ensure drivers are aware of their driving habits and where they can improve from a speed and safety perspective.
To discuss your fleet management and driver insurance requirements, please get in touch with us on 01905 21681 or email Enquiries@sutcliffeinsurance.co.uk
