Drivers in the UK may be impacted by a new law, effective from 6 July, ensuring that all new vehicles must be fitted with a speed limiter, in a bid to combat speeding across the UK.
The change in the law means that all new vehicles sold will be legally required to be fitted with the new technology which will keep drivers within the speed limit.
Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing has welcomed the new law, but warned that it doesn’t mean people should care less about driving responsibly:
“These new laws are hugely welcome in order to help combat speeding and dangerous driving. However, it will take years for these changes to be fully implemented in every vehicle on the road, as it will take a long time for cars purchased now to find their way into the ownership of the mass public, so sensible driving is always encouraged.
It’s a welcome change, but one from which the positive impact will be gradual, and it’s also important to note that there are some reports suggesting that the law, enforced in Europe, may not be picked up by UK lawmakers.
“The technology is designed to warn drivers when they are approaching the speed limit. If the driver doesn’t slow down, the speed limiter reduces the engine’s power and the vehicle’s speed, although it’s important to note that the limiters can be manually overridden - which is useful in areas where the technology may not keep up with actual events on the road.
“Currently, there are around 2000 deaths from car accidents per year in the UK, and this new law will hopefully see a significant decline in those figures. The changes could help save more than 25,000 lives and avoid at least 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.
“We welcome anything that improves the safety of road users. However, speed limiter technology shouldn't be the only thing road users rely on to maintain a safe speed. It’s vital to still pay attention to their surroundings and drive according to the conditions, and don’t simply rely on a speed limiter to keep yourself, and other road users safe."
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