The National Roads Authority's recent road safety report, which found that 92 per cent of truck drivers break the speeds limits in built up areas (30mph) won't have come as a major shock to readers of Irish Trucker Magazine. After all you are the nine in 10.

More often than not, the comment pieces in this publication are pro road transport operator and pro driver. Road haulage is a tough old game and the road haulage industry needs all the supporters it can muster.
On practically every issue Irish Trucker magazine has stood shoulder to shoulder with the road haulage industry since it first hit the streets in 1998. However, on the issue of speeding it has to draw a line in the sand.

Tight delivery deadlines, ever dwindling margins and consignor pressure are all offered as excuses for breaking the law with regard to speeding. It has also been suggested that speeding is only prevalent amongst the unlicenced haulage sector. Excuses, excuses, excuses, there is no defending the indefencible.

The NRA survey has laid bare the truth. Nine out of 10 articulated truck drivers break the 30 mph speed limit in built up areas, while more than 80 per cent speed on motorways and 70 per cent break the speed limit on dual-carriageways.

The report also found the number of articulated lorries speeding on the country's national secondary road network, where there have been numerous crashes involving trucks and cars has almost doubled from 19 per cent in 1999 to 37 per cent in 2002.
Almost three out of 10 rigid trucks were also found to be breaking the speed limits on these roads.

Speeding is all about personal choice. Ultimately it is down to the driver of the vehicle to make the decision whether or not to speed. Pressure may be exerted to the owner of the vehicle and even the consignor, but ultimmately the decision rests with the driver. The buck stops with the man or woman in the cab.

The NRA survey was taken last July and August prior to the advent of the penalty points system for speeding, which wasn't introduced until November 1. There has been a marked change in driver behaviour and a significant reduction in the number of road deaths and injuries since the introduction of the penalty points system.

Last year some 300,000 motorists were caught for speeding. In the first three months of this year 40,000 motorists were apprehended. This represents a huge improvement and indicates that the motorist is finally getting the message that speed kills.

Let us hope truckers are getting the same message too.