7^th May 2015 by ingenie

How to improve your ingenie speed feedback

Speed limits are an important part of your road safety and are there for a reason.

They're not a target - in fact, imagine a big red 'N' in front of that red circle, telling you "NO SPEEDING ABOVE THIS LIMIT".

If you’re not doing as well as you’d like in your ingenie speed feedback, these tips will help make sure you are aware of the speed limit and know how to maintain a safe speed for every journey.

Why haven't I got good messages for speed?

Autopilot

Driving the same route a lot can mean your brain doesn't have to work as hard, so you stop being alert
Try to stay in the gear that is appropriate for the speed limit - your car will start growling if you speed!

Distraction

If you have people in the car it can be easy to forget to keep an eye on your speed
The same goes for loud music or your phone beeping - always be sure you're 100% focused on the job in hand

Lack of awareness

You could be speeding and not know it - are you always aware of the limit for every road you're on?
You might need to revise the rules around speed limits

Why do speed limit changes matter so much?

Your brain needs to reset to the new situation

If you're coming off the motorway, you need to pay close attention to your speed as 40mph will feel VERY slow after 70
Sudden drops in speed should alert you to the possibility of new hazards to be alert for - a school or pedestrian crossings for example

There may be a reason you don't know about

Speed limits are often changed due to crashes occurring in the area
Hidden hazards - such as a farm entrance - or events that happen throughout the day might not be immediately obvious but you need a much slower speed to be prepared
Go read our 5 biggest reasons to slow down for speed limit changes

What if I can't see a speed limit?

How to recognise a 30mph zone

In a 30 zone there are usually regular lampposts, so that's a good way to check
There will often be pedestrians, dog walkers, people pulling out of driveways and cyclists
Remember: speeding in a 30 means you won’t have the right amount of time to stop for these hazards – leading to harsh braking or even a crash

How to recognise national speed limit

In 40 and 50 zones you will see regular signs - so if you can’t you’re probably in a national speed limit zone (60mph on a single carriageway and 70mph on a dual carriageway)
Remember: 30 zones legally only have to tell you at the beginning and end of the zone, so look for any 30mph clues before making a decision to speed up

Use other roads as a clue

If you see a road turning off and there’s a speed limit sign very soon after the turn, that indicates a change in speed - so if you look down a street and there's a 50 sign there, play safe and go for 30 until you spot a sign

Make your own decision

Assuming that the car in front of you is doing the right thing is dangerous
The appropriate speed is not always right on the limit - the safe speed will always depend on lots of factors: is there traffic, is the road narrow, what’s the weather like?

What if the limit seems wrong?

Think about things that might happen on that road

Are there events that happen over the day like school pick-up?
Is the road prone to flooding?
The speed limit is set for a reason so if you can’t see why the road you’re on is a certain limit, be aware that something might surprise you

If you catch yourself questioning the limit, check your speed more often

It’s easy to speed if you’re subconsciously thinking the speed limit is unrealistic
There could be a surprise just round the next bend that you need to be ready for - and less speed means more time to avoid a hazard

What's wrong with speeding at night if the roads are clear?

This is when you're most likely to crash

You feel like it's safer to speed because there's no one around - but the fact that you're expecting no one to be there means you're unprepared for potential hazards

Crashes at night are worse

We see the most severe crashes occurring at night - with the increase in people drink driving and taking risks, you need to be MORE careful at night, not less
22% of crashes where someone is killed or seriously injured happen between 8pm and 6am, even though there are far fewer people on the road

You're more likely to be distracted by drunk mates

If you're the designated driver after a night out, be very clear with your friends that they are not allowed to distract you

You're more likely to be drowsy

Driving tired is nearly as dangerous as driving drunk, so take a break immediately if you start feeling drowsy

If I don't speed I get tailgated

Don’t be bullied into speeding up

The danger is in front of you, not from the person behind
If you speed up and get too close to the person in front of you, the tailgater is probably going to speed up as well
If that person in front brakes, you may go into the back of them, and the tailgater will go into the back of you
Keep your speed low and maintain your safety bubble
If you really feel under pressure from the driver behind, pull over safely to let them pass
Find more advice on what to do if you get tailgated

Remember why there's a limit

Tailgating happens most in 20 and 30mph zones - the places where speed limits are most important because they are school zones, built-up areas or rural roads
Someone trying to pressure you into driving at an unsafe speed in an area with lots of potential hazards is not worth your time

Remember:
Improving your driving also improves your chances of getting a discount if you're insured with ingenie. Find out how to improve your acceleration, braking and cornering.

Get more driving tips in the Young Driver's Guide.

How to improve your ingenie speed feedback