Speeding drivers 'truly shocking' during lockdown

Speeding drivers during lockdown have become a “very unwelcome by-product of the Government’s fight against coronavirus”, according to the RAC.

The automotive services company says 20 police forces across the UK caught their worst offenders at speeds in excess of 100mph.

Police Scotland was one of three forces – along with London’s Metropolitan Police and Lancashire Constabulary – to catch motorists driving at more than 120mph.

The data was analysed by the RAC as part of a freedom of information request to all British police forces.

RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “Some of the speeds police forces have caught drivers doing are truly shocking. At such high speeds there is virtually no time to react should anything unexpected happen in front such as a car changing lanes at the last second or a vehicle having to brake suddenly.

“Clearly, some drivers have taken advantage of quieter roads to speed excessively putting the lives of others at risk at the worst possible time, but at the same time it’s encouraging that so many police forces have taken firm action even during the lockdown, which sends a strong message to other would-be offenders,” he added.

The worst speeder in the first three weeks of the lockdown was caught in West Yorkshire driving at 151mph on the M62 motorway – a shocking 81mph over the speed limit.

This was 11mph faster than the next fastest recorded which was 140mph on the A14 in Suffolk.

The highest speed seen in a 40mph limit was 134mph on the A10 in north London, 94mph above the limit.