Stop dangerous drivers with compulsory speed limiters in their cars

Road safety campaigners have called for the UK to trial intervening speed limiter technology to prevent repeat offenders from breaking the law. The move comes after new data revealed that more than 270,000 drivers were caught travelling in excess of 40mph in 30mph zones in 2025, as part of what police have described as “a culture where speeding is acceptable”.

As part of its contribution to the Government’s recently-published Road Safety Strategy, the RAC called on authorities to require Intervening Intelligent Speed Assistance (IISA) technology be fitted in all new models sold in the UK. This differs from standard Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) set-ups in the sense that rather than simply providing an audible warning if the driver strays over the limit, IISA will step in by cutting input from the throttle pedal altogether to prevent the vehicle from going any faster.

In 2024, ISA was made a legal requirement for all new models introduced in the EU and Northern Ireland. While it’s currently not required by law in Great Britain – Road Safety Strategy proposals include making it so, alongside 17 other safety systems – most new cars sold here include it so as not to add complexity during production.

However, while ISA is mainly designed to stop accidental forays over the limit, the RAC has teamed up with the Stop Excessive Speeding campaign to call on the Government to launch a trial of more advanced IISA tech in order to curb the driving habits of repeat speeding offenders.

The RAC’s senior policy officer, Rod Dennis, said: “We very much look forward to the Government’s response to its consultations on the Road Safety Strategy. New casualty-reduction targets and an update to councils on setting local speeds are welcome, but a greater focus on tackling the problem of excessive speeding and repeat offending is also desperately needed. 

“We therefore strongly urge the Government to introduce Intervening Intelligent Speed Assistance technology – which can prevent a vehicle from exceeding the limit – to reduce the number of drivers on our roads that puts all of us at risk.”

According to data acquired by the RAC from Freedom of Information requests submitted to every police force in the UK, as many as 270,000 drivers were caught travelling at speeds in excess of 40mph in 30mph zones last year. It’s worth pointing out that the RAC only received data from 34 for the 45 territorial forces, meaning actual numbers are much higher.

Seven in 10 police forces who responded reported catching at least one driver travelling at more than twice the speed limit in 2025. Examples include one motorist driving at 89mph in a 20mph zone in Deeside, Wales, while another was caught hurtling along at 114mph on a 30mph road in Aylestone, Leicestershire.

Lead for roads policing at the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: “The fact that a majority of drivers now believe there is a culture where speeding is acceptable reflects a deeply embedded issue in driver behaviour. We must reset expectations and make it clear that safe, lawful driving is a shared responsibility.”

Data from the Ministry of Justice states that 28 per cent of the more than 800,000 motoring convictions in 2025 were due to speeding, marking a 28 per cent rise over the past decade. Furthermore, exceeding the speed limit was cited as a contributing factor towards 29 per cent of all road casualties involving fatalities in 2024.

As part of its Road Safety Strategy, the Government aims to reduce the number of those killed or seriously injured on UK roads by 65 per cent by 2035. Proposals include new guidance for 20mph speed-limit zones and camera enforcement, greater penalties for drink and drug-driving, as well as a consultation on the implementation of alcolocks for repeat offenders – similar to what the RAC proposes with IISA for repeat speeders.

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