Adrienne Woodland reports that nearly a third of drivers believe no one actually follows the posted speed limit.
Adrienne Woodland, a spokeswoman for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, highlighted a new study showing that nearly one-third of drivers are convinced that no one actually follows the posted speed limit. The research indicates that many motorists consider going 10 mph over the limit as acceptable and believe that keeping up with traffic is safer than strictly obeying the posted speed limit. In California, 54% of drivers believe keeping up with traffic is safer than obeying the limit, which is higher than the national average of 49%. The study found that drivers often speed to get around slower vehicles, reach destinations faster, or avoid holding up traffic. However, AAA officials emphasize that the speed limit represents a maximum speed rather than a minimum. To improve safety, the study found that drivers support increased police presence and automated speed cameras in high-risk areas. While drivers approve of dashboard alerts for speeding, they are less supportive of technology that actively restricts vehicle speed without a driver's override.