print versionSpeed Limits in Europe
Speeding drivers are risking both lives and profits as fuel bills riseNovember 2006
Despite varying speed limits across Europe, businesses should clamp down on motorists who drive too fast in order to save lives and profits, according to leading fleet management firm Masterlease.
Masterlease claims businesses could counteract the global effect of rising fuel bills if drivers stuck to the speed limit of their particular country, and has pointed to extreme measures taken during the 1970s in the UK as proof that it could work.
In 1973 the price of oil shot to around $11 per barrel in the wake of the Arab-Israeli war and the British Government tackled the problem by reducing the national speed limit on non-motorways to 50mph (80 kph) as well as doubling speeding fines to £100 (€146). If today’s fines were given the same treatment, drivers could face up to £5,000 (€7,288) for speeding on a motorway and up to £2,000 (€2,916) for breaking the limit on other roads.
Masterlease says changing legislation in response to today’s oil prices – around $70 per barrel – is not realistic, but the fuel-saving principles could still be applied as motorists and fleet managers are looking for ways to reduce the financial burden.
Nick Brownrigg, CEO of Masterlease, said: “The consistently high price of fuel has left most companies readjusting their budgets to compensate for the increased spend. However, it is still important to find ways to reduce fuel consumption and driving more slowly would be a good place to start.
“Of course it is unlikely that European governments would resort to reducing their speed limits, but there is certainly an important lesson here. Aside from the safety issue associated with driving too fast, even driving at 70mph (112 kph) instead of 80mph (129 kph) saves a huge amount of fuel and would certainly cut costs if it was done regularly across an entire fleet.
“Companies could also consider coming down more heavily on those drivers that may be regularly caught speeding. Regular driving licence checks should be carried out anyway but policies could be put into place to prevent repeat offending – it’s not just about avoiding the fine, it carries tangible benefits in terms of saving fuel costs.
“It would also be worthwhile monitoring fuel expenditure across the fleet – for example, if two drivers cover similar mileage but have drastically different fuel bills then it is likely to be a reflection of their driving style and the speed at which they are travelling,” he adds.
