On getting out of a speeding ticket

Recently I wrote about the race-to-the-bottom that is bad driving and advice on what to do about it. In case you missed it: click here.

A new study from the University of Western Australia says that when it comes to bad driving, some bad habits might not be recklessness but natural cognitive limitations of the human mind.

In various driving simulations, when the speed limit changed to a lower one, participants confronted with a red light were more likely to stick to the new speed (40km/hr). Otherwise they were more likely to stick to the old speed (70km/hr).

Read the article summary here.

The article suggests that it’s not behavioural traits that are at the heart of speeding but instead cognitive limitations – forgetting. Maybe try that as your excuse the next time you are confronted by an officer of the law – it could be more honest of an answer.

City planners and road designers take heed – even drivers need a little nudge to stay on track and at pace.