BRITAIN has a problem with speed. Too many of us are addicted to the thrill of driving fast regardless of the speed limit.

More than half of all motorists admit to exceeding the speed limit on the motorway.

Ironically, motorways are the safest place to drive. The worst are urban roads where speeds are lower, but the risks are greater. Despite that, more drivers admit to speeding in built-up areas than on motorways.

Residents in Baildon are demanding road safety measures after 70 per cent of motorists were found to be speeding during a 24-hour monitoring period.

Baildon Road has a 30mph limit but 9,672 of the 13,851 drivers who used it during the monitoring period exceeded that speed. Frighteningly, 15 drivers didn’t just ignore the limit – they smashed it by driving at more than 61mph. The stopping distance at 30mph is 89ft; the stopping distance at 60mph is 268ft. The implications if a child were to step out into the path of a car travelling at 60mph are horrendous.

If you drive a modern car fitted with speed limit recognition, sat nav audio alerts and electronic limiters there really is no excuse for driving too fast.

That’s why the T&A is leading calls for tougher penalties for danger drivers. But we can’t throw the book at everyone.

First-time speeding drivers can opt to attend a speed awareness course for a fee rather than collect three penalty points. Perhaps the Government should make speed awareness courses mandatory for everyone?

If we change drivers’ attitudes, we might just change the results.