Drivers in a hurry rack up yet more tickets – and reveal their ignorance of speed limits

The total number of offences in 2011 increased by 6 per cent compared with 2010, according to figures obtained from police forces by insurance company LV=.

Offending speeders drove at an average 56mph in 2011, compared with 54mph in 2010, according to the statistics for speed cameras and police patrols, which followed a freedom of information request.

The highest speed was a 152mph driver caught by Sussex Police, while one in the Thames Valley Police area was doing 142mph.

According to data from the 36 of 51 police forces in Britain which responded, there were 955,459 incidents of speeding in 2011 – up from 899,934 in 2010.

Among the two of eight Scottish forces which supplied figures, Tayside said total speeding offences increased from 12,836 in 2010 to 15,299 last year. However, Central Scotland Police recorded a fall from 7,484 to 6,935, with a highest speed of 117mph in 2010.

A separate survey of 1,531 drivers by LV= showed that since 2009, 9 per cent had been caught speeding and 17 per cent of these had been caught two or three times.

The survey showed 71 per cent could not name the speed limit on a rural road, single carriageway, dual carriageway, motorway or a road in a built-up area. When shown photographs of different roads, 33 per cent could not identify the 60mph speed limit for a single carriageway and 52 per cent did not know the limit on a rural road without street lights.

As many as 30 per cent thought the 70mph speed limit was too slow, while 64 per cent welcomed the planned rise to 80mph on some motorways.

As many as 41 per cent say they routinely exceed 70mph when they think they can get away with it.

UK government proposals to increase speeding fines from £60 to £100 to compensate victims of crime were not welcomed; 40 per cent saw the increase as an unfair tax.

Test your knowledge of the speed limits on Scotland’s roads: click here to view www.scotsman.com/news/speed-limit-test-quiz-1-2201424