With clear roads those who can still drive freely as essential workers are finding it all too easy to break the speed limit.  To combat this problem Thatcham Research says many motorists can use technology, that in many cases they may have disabled, to help them avoid misjudging their speed during coronavirus lockdown.

Thatcham Research’s Director of Research, Matthew Avery said, “It’s much easier for drivers to underestimate their speed when the roads are empty and there are fewer cars to measure their own speed against.” He added, “Most drivers don’t set out to break the speed limit but can find that their speed gradually creeps round the dial. However, this is dangerous not only for the driver, but also for other road users many of whom are key workers travelling to fulfil essential roles.”

Most new cars come with Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) systems fitted as standard. These systems can be a very useful aid to drivers. Matthew said, “Many drivers find identifying when to change from one speed limit to another difficult and distracting, and with fewer cars to follow as a yardstick for their own speed, drivers can unwittingly break the limit. In this respect, Intelligent Speed Assistance systems can help to keep drivers safe and legal. If you have one, it’s well worth engaging the system before you set out for a journey during lockdown.”

Euro NCAP has tested manual speed limiters since 2009 and has long promoted their fitment to new cars. In 2018 manually set ISA systems became a requirement of the five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

ISA systems use a combination of cameras to read speed signs and GPS mapping to inform the driver of the present limit. Depending on the system fitted, they can issue a warning to the driver when the car’s speed is above the set threshold, actively prevent the car from exceeding the set speed and advise the driver of upcoming limits.

Matthews concludes, “It’s important to clarify that these systems are overridable, allowing the driver to accelerate beyond the limit if required to do so. And although they can be switched off, using ISA could not only be helpful but it can also save lives.”