More than two-thirds (67 percent) of UK motorists admit they feel unsafe when travelling at 60mph on rural roads.
The new research, undertaken by insurance specialist Ageas, also found that over half (55 percent) of respondents believed the 60mph speed limit was too high for single-carriageway roads in the countryside.
Of those surveyed, 66 percent thought a lack of speed cameras, combined with lower traffic volumes, encourages drivers to go faster when out of town.
As a result, some 64 percent would be in favour of a blanket reduction in the speed limit applied to rural lanes.
Drivers challenged by rural roads
Along with its survey of 1,000 UK motorists, Ageas also made Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to police forces across the country.
With a total of 32 forces responding to the FOI submission, the data supplied showed that 342,700 speeding offences were recorded on 60mph single-carriageway rural roads between 2021 and 2025.
West Mercia was the police force area with the highest number of rural 60mph speeding offences: a total of 55,993 during the past five years.
Avon and Somerset, followed by Cambridgeshire, completed the top three areas, accounting for 42 percent of speeding offences between them.
At the other end of the scale, Gwent saw just 19 speeders recorded breaking the limit on 60mph roads.
Support for reducing speed limits
Although 95 percent of drivers were caught between 61mph and 80mph, some 742 motorists across the UK were measured exceeding 100mph.
And shockingly, police forces in North Yorkshire and Lancashire both recorded speeders hitting 144mph.
Jonathan Price, managing director at Ageas UK, commented: “Rural roads present unique, fast-changing hazards, from hidden junctions and farm machinery to cyclists, walkers and animals around blind bends.
“Our research shows that these challenges leave many drivers feeling uncomfortable driving on rural roads at speed. Adapting your speed to the road, weather, visibility and traffic conditions helps to reduce the likelihood of an accident and keep our roads safe.”
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In parts of Lincolnshire its impossible to drive at 60mph, 50mph is fast enough, sometimes 40mph is necessary for safety. Besides the road conditions make it unsafe to even drive at 40.
Your feature suggesting the rural speed limit should be reduced from 60moh misses one fundamental point – it is a speed LIMIT, not a minimum speed. If a driver feels uncomfortable driving at 60mph, they are totally free to slow down!! A maximum of 60mph is fine.
55%, which is apparently 2/3, of drivers support lower limits on rural roads, do they? Well no one asked me, or anyone that I know. I support limits that are appropriate for the road, some of which are suitable for higher speeds than 60 mph. Anyone who doesn’t like driving at 60 mph doesn’t need to, seen as it’s a limit – and I see plenty who don’t.
Limits should be set based on accident history, not feelings.
I wonder how many of those surveyed are urban drivers who rarely venture onto rural roads?
It should be remembered that speed limits are not a compulsory target, but a maximum allowed on a particular road. It seems to me that reducing rural speed limits would only criminalise a section of road users and those who regularly speed would continue to ignore limits.