If the Maximum speed limit in the UK is 70mph, why doesnt the government force all cars to be speed limited?

Question

to 70MPH. This way there should be a reduction on speed related deaths and would mean people being less likely to get points/disqualified/fined etc....I know you would still be able to exceed the limit in 30/40/50 mph areas but at least there would be no excuses on the motorway.... Is it because it is not cost effective?... stifles consumer choice?..government wont benefit from loss of revenue?... or they can be ar$$ed?

Answer 1

The technology exists to go beyond that. It would be possible to link the engine control unit to roadside transponders to control car speeds dynamically. This would limit speeds in all speed limit areas. However, such an approach would reduce the involvement of drivers. In some cases drivers are already frighteningly uninvolved with driving. It is necessary to give drivers involvement to ensure they retain some engagement with the task.

Sir Readalot has already made the point that it is sometimes necessary to increase speed to avoid dangerous situations: when someone shoots a red light - you may need to accelerate hard to avoid them.

If speed limiting were introduced it would need to be combined with collision avoidance systems of incredible complexity and reliability. such systems would need to control both the brakes and the engine (and thus the gears); there would need to be proximity detectors for both static and moving objects. As yet we don't have that technology. As yet.

Finally - there are issues of freedom of choice (a philosophical debate) and winning of votes (a political one).

Answer 2

Various reasons:

There are different speed limits elsewhere in Europe (and even some unlimited Autobahns in Germany) and many of us take our cars abroad.
The Government has little choice, because our cars are designed and tested to European, not UK, legislation - and we are the only European country with a 70mph limit (all others have limits in km/h)
People would soon work out how to de-restrict their cars (many owners of Japanese-spec cars restricted to 180km/h, or German-brand cars restricted to 250km/h already do remove the restrictions).
There is a safety issue - if you sense an impending accident, which you could accelerate to avoid, but your car is restricted, can you sue the government for preventing you from avoiding the accident?
Our motorways are our safest roads - far more accidents, injuries and deaths occur per mile on roads with 30mph limits than on motorways, and motorways make up a relatively small fraction of our roads. Also, motorway accidents tend to be due to people changing lane without looking, or getting too close the the car in front, or going too fast for the road/weather conditions (but not necessarily exceeding the limit), not speeding. Therefore the effect on road safety of limiting cars to 70mph would be limited. Indeed the accident rate may well rise, because drivers might start to pay less attention to their driving if they can just put their foot flat to the floor and leave it there.
The move would be unpopular with drivers - and most of the electorate drive.

Answer 3

THe biggest thing is that you can't govern something like that.

For example, you can invoke quality control on hammers, but you can't define how the end user will use them.

The problem comes in that speeds in different countries vary, and that to take away a manufacturers ability to make cars that exceed the limit is infringement of public development rights.

They're also probably quite keen to keep the money rolling in through speed cameras.

You know less than 2% of road deaths occur on motorways cause by excessive speeding. Driver training is the way forward, not totalitarian controls.

Answer 4

Speed limits on motorways (autoroutes, atobahns etc) in most of Europe can be much higher than in the UK and these days anybody with a car will travel to other countries now and then.
For instance in the South of Ireland the speed limit on motorways is 120 km/h and that's equivalent to 75 mph. If cars coming from Northern Ireland or off the ferry from the UK were to be limited to 70 mph they could be a drag on traffic flow, and the same goes for other european countries.

Answer 5

the same reason the volume of a stereo can be put up to 10 or 15 or 20 but the max you'll put it is about half, using a engine to the max, even if not all the time, would reduce the life of the car considerably, but it's a good point which is been raise many time, they could make cars that don't go more than 100. they could but they won't.

Ciao

i can't believe that Luise just said that speed doesn't kill, ANY accident where the speed is low has the minimun chance to seriously injure or kill somebody, think about the impact.

Ciao

Answer 6

Because there will always be extenuating circumstances. For instance, passing cars on one-lane-each-way road can be dangerous if your speed is limited, and because the passing is for such a short distance, it generally isn't penalized by law enforcement, if you maintain the speed limit before and after. Mostly it's about economics, though. The car manufacturers need to sell cars. And no politician worth his/her salt wants to anger such a wealthy conglomerate. Expensive sports cars are bought because they can go extremely fast, even the buyer will never come near that speed. It is assumed that there are off-road areas in which, theoretically, one could exceed the speed limit by far. Like private race tracks that some people do pay to use ust to feel the exhileration of speeding around.

Answer 7

hey, ive been wondering this myself, it always troubles me. I drive and i dont see the need to go over 70mph, so i cant think of why they cant make cars that only exceed to 70mph. It is a good idea and it would be effective because there should be less deaths - but then i say it doesnt matter what speed you are driving at i think it depands on the person behind the wheel, because if they are silly enough to go 50mph in a 30mph road, where children are expected to be, then it is not going to matter what speed the car can exceed to.

Answer 8

numerous motives: There are diverse velocity limits someplace else in Europe (or perhaps some countless Autobahns in Germany) and a variety of of alternative individuals take our automobiles in a foreign country. the government has little decision, because of the fact our automobiles are designed and examined to ecu, no longer uk, legislations - and we are the only ecu usa with a 70mph shrink (all others have limits in km/h) human beings could quickly artwork out the thank you to de-limit their automobiles (many property vendors of jap-spec automobiles limited to 180km/h, or German-kind automobiles limited to 250km/h already do get rid of the regulations). there's a secure practices situation - in case you experience an drawing close twist of destiny, which you are going to be able to desire to strengthen as much as ward off, yet your motor vehicle is limited, are you able to sue the government for combating you from warding off the twist of destiny? Our motorways are our maximum secure roads - far greater injuries, injuries and deaths take place according to mile on roads with 30mph limits than on motorways, and motorways make up a incredibly small fraction of our roads. additionally, toll highway injuries tend to be by human beings changing lane without finding, or getting too close the the motor vehicle in front, or going too speedy for the line/climatic situations (yet no longer inevitably exceeding the shrink), no longer dashing. subsequently the effect on highway protection of proscribing automobiles to 70mph could be limited. certainly the twist of destiny fee might upward push, because of the fact drivers could start to pay much less interest to their using in the event that they are able to easily positioned their foot flat to the floor and pass away it there. The pass could be unpopular with drivers - and a variety of of alternative of the voterschronic.

Answer 9

1 If cars had speed limiters there would be no income from speeding fines
2 If you were limited to 70 you would just hold your foot on the floor and take no responsibility for driving at a safe speed

Answer 10

Speed limiters or governors can create the situation in which the power necessary to extricate a vehicle from danger is unavailable.