More youths and males admit to speeding sometimes, according to a study by ISBR (Belgian Institute for Road Safety). Jacqueline Galant (MR), federal minister for Mobility, revealed the results of this study at the Zolder race track (in Heusden-Zolder, Limburg), where she drove in person to highlight how speed increases braking distances and therefore the risk of having an accident, on Monday. Every day, approximately 9,166 vehicles are caught by speed traps in Belgium. The figure does not come as a surprise to IBSR, given that 94% of drivers admit they sometimes drive over the speed limit. Amongst those polled, 90% say they do not always respect the 30km/h maximum speed zones around schools. The ratio of drivers respecting speed limits versus those who do not is only positive on motorways or on roads where the speed limit is 90km/h.
Drivers aged 18-29 are the first to admit they are the ones speeding most often. However if only motorway traffic is taken into account, 30-38-year-olds are even worse. People aged 63 and over are the most careful when it comes to respecting speed limits.
As for the gender of offenders, many more men drive too fast than women, in every zone. The difference is particularly striking on motorways and hardly noticeable in 30km/h zones.
Jacqueline Galant, the minister for Mobility, repeated it was her intention to increase speed checks. “The aim of speed checks is not to bring money in, but to limit the number of tickets and therefore the number of victims on our roads,” she said.
(Source: Belga)
