Drivers caught speeding at 164mph told to stop being ‘selfish’

Drivers have been recorded travelling at 164mph (264km/h) on Britain’s roads, prompting a warning from police for people to stop being so selfish and to realise speed kills.

More than 24,000 vehicles were caught on camera being driven at more than 100mph (161km/h) between 2019 and 2023, police data shows.

One car on the M25 in Kent and one in Greater Manchester were found to be speeding at 164mph (264km/h), with cars in London and the Humberside police force area detected being driven at 163mph (262km/h).

Ch Insp Craig West, head of roads policing at Kent Police, says the consequences of high-speed crashes can be “devastating for families and friends”.

The BBC sent freedom of information requests to police forces asking what the highest recorded speeds were over a five-year period.

Of the 45 police forces contacted, 27 were able to provide data to the BBC.

Greater Manchester Police said a driver clocked at 164mph (264km/h) on the M62 in 2023 was using a cloned number plate.

Kent Police confirmed they were unable to trace the driver of a Seat Leon travelling at the same speed on the M25 in Swanley in 2022.

In both cases, this was more than double the motorway speed limit of 70mph (113km/h).

Meanwhile a Porsche driver was banned for six months for driving at 163mph (262km/h) on the M1 in north London at the start of the Covid pandemic, and a driver travelling at the same speed in Humberside was disqualified from driving for four months and fined £950.

South Yorkshire Police said a driver caught driving at 162mph (260km/h) in 2019 was issued with six penalty points on their licence and received fines of £1,210.

Ch Insp Craig West said: “Speed does kill.

People need to reduce their speed and not drive to the full speed limit.”

He told the BBC: “It’s devastating for the families and friends of the victims and for the officers.

“It really has a lasting impact on a lot of people, which is why it’s important to get that message across to the small minority of selfish drivers that continue to speed.”

Jillie Slope from West Sussex is calling for more enforcement following the death of her son, Callum Chapman, who was a passenger in a speeding car that crashed into trees on the A24 near Southwater in December 2020.

Ms Slope said the vehicle had been travelling at speeds of up to 103mph.

“The driver got out more or less unharmed, but Callum didn’t last very long. It’s ripped my heart out,” she said.

“It just feels like Callum’s death was in vain, it’s not made any difference and people are still speeding.”

“There’s not enough police, cameras, technology in cars – something needs to be done,” Ms Slope said.

The driver pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for three years and disqualified from driving for four-and-a-half years.

The court heard he had been racing against another car.

The driver of that car admitted dangerous driving and was jailed for six months, and disqualified for 21 months.

In 2023, Department for Transport (DfT) figures showed that 314 people died in crashes on Britain’s roads in which a driver exceeding the speed limit was a contributory factor.

This was at least a 10-year high.

Sussex Police Chief Constable, Jo Shiner, the roads policing lead at the National Police Chiefs Council, says every casualty is “one too many”.

“Nearly 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured on our roads each year as a result of excessive speed.

“For each one of those people there will be multiple friends, families and communities affected so the true impact is almost impossible to quantify,” Ms Shiner said.

“Driving in excess of the speed limit is a conscious decision.”

The Sentencing Council says the maximum fine for speeding is £1,000, unless the offence is recorded on the motorway, in which case it would be £2,500.

Drivers speeding at more than 100mph are at serious risk of disqualification according to David Sonn, a road-traffic lawyer, who has represented a driver caught at 163mph.

“If there are no other aggravating features and a relatively clean driving licence and you are doing just over 100[mph], in my experience you may very well avoid disqualification.”

He says a ban is “almost inevitable” for drivers caught speeding at more than 110mph, “depending on the circumstances” and could prompt a prosecution for dangerous driving.

“That can attract up to two years in prison and will attract a minimum mandatory ban of one year and you cannot resume driving until you’ve passed an extended driving test.”

Shaun Helman, chief scientist for behavioural sciences at the Transport Research Laboratory in Berkshire, said: “Many new cars are now fitted with intelligence speed assistance technology.”

“The car can warn the driver if it’s over the speed limit and in some systems can intervene and reduce the speed of the car gradually to get down to the speed limit.”

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “Eight in 10 new cars are available with driver assistance systems, such as advanced emergency braking.”

He says the technology has led to a 38% reduction in rear-end crashes

“Ultimately, however, motorists must drive responsibly, as while technology can help mitigate accident risk, human error is, regrettably, still the cause of most crashes,” he added.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “There’s no excuse for those who risk the lives of others through speeding.

“We continue to assess how motorists can benefit from the latest technology, ensuring journeys are safe, reliable, and cut emissions.”