A motoring expert has warned that 10 percent of UK drivers have made a simple mistake that could put them at risk of an expensive fine and licence points.
With the first half-term holidays of 2025 approaching, many families are set to travel to other parts of the country to see loved ones or go on holiday, using a satnav to help them find their destination as easily as possible.
Whilst satnavs can be particularly useful, Mark Trimbee, CEO of the private number plate firm Regtransfers, has urged motorists to avoid following the speed limit stated on the system.
He advised: “Satnavs rely on GPS readings to calculate speed, and while they’re often accurate, there’s always a chance the reading could be wrong since accuracy is determined by the quality of the satellite signal being received.
“As long as it’s in good condition, your speedo should never understate your speed; by law, it must never show less than the speed you’re going, and must never show more than 110 percent of your speed.”
When using a satnav, it is common for drivers to discover the device is recording a slightly lower speed than that displayed on the vehicle’s speedometer. As a result, eight percent of motorists have admitted to using a satnav tend to judge how fast they are travelling.
Unlike the car’s speedometer, satnavs are able to display how fast a car is travelling by measuring its GPS co-ordinates. Whilst this can be more accurate than a conventional speedometer, the satnav could lag or encounter an issue that shows an incorrect speed.
If a fault leads to a driver exceeding the speed limit, they could be pulled over or caught by a speed camera, where they will be issued a fine which varies from £100 to £2,500, along with penalty points on their licence.
Similarly, Mark suggested that drivers should also avoid judging a road’s speed limit by trying to match how fast other road users are travelling.
He warned: “It’s never a good idea to base your speed on your own judgement. 30mph can feel like a crawl after being on the motorway, and it can be all too easy to misjudge your speed.
“As for using other road users to judge your speed, this one’s simple; if they’re over the speed limit, you will be too.”
Whilst they should be vigilant for speed limit signs at all times, one way that motorists can quickly identify the speed limit of a road is by looking out for lamp posts.
According to the Highway Code, all streets in residential areas which feature lamp posts have a default speed of 30mph in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, unless there are regular signs detailing a different limit.
However, if the road is located in Wales, this speed limit drops to 20mph, with the Welsh Government reducing the limit to tackle road safety.
