In the second half of 2013 and continuing into this year, we
have seen a noticeable rise in the sales of our speed limiters.
This trend can be attributed to fleet operators increasingly
looking to drive down fuel costs and take a proactive approach to
protecting their drivers' safety.
This increased demand looks set to continue and we feel it poses
an important question - should they be compulsory an all commercial
vehicles?
From a fleet operator's point of view, once a speed limiter is
considered it becomes a simple decision once they listen to the
rationale behind it. Reduced speed leads to better safety and
improved fuel economy, as well as encouraging greater engine
longevity.
We put the fuel consumption benefits to the test in a commercial
vehicle, fitting a 56mph speed limiter to a Volkswagen Transporter
Sportline van. On a 260 mile trip which featured semi-urban
parkways, city roads and motorways it delivered fuel economy of
43.91 miles per gallon, an uplift of over seven miles per gallon
compared to the van's official fuel economy figure.
To put that into the context of fuel savings, on that 260 mile
journey alone the driver would have saved £16.86. Over 16,000 miles
a year, this equates to a yearly saving of over £1,000.
This is a considerable saving on a single vehicle, which will
only become more significant across a large vehicle fleet.
Fitting a speed limiter also protects a business' drivers and
reputation. A driver travelling above the speed limit in the
outside lane of the motorway reflects badly on a business through
the eyes of other motorists and this can be easily prevented.
It can also protect drivers from possible speeding fines, with
the recent proposal of 'stealth cameras' on major British motorways
and the suggested enforcement of 60mph speed limits on stretches of
the M3 putting drivers at further risk. With this in mind, fitting
a speed limiter and negating the risk represents a worthwhile
investment for a business to protect their best drivers from
accruing points on their licence.
Furthermore, Department of Transport figures found that 3,000
motorists are killed or seriously injured a year in accidents where
speed was a factor. This is another risk that can be reduced and it
is important from a business' point of view that they are taking a
proactive approach to their duty of care obligations and ensuring
employees are as safe as possible when driving on company time.
We believe there is a compelling argument for fitting to be
compulsory on all commercial vehicles, and that's before you even
consider the safety implications of drivers with a tonne or two of
cargo in the back, particularly in a built up area.
It is an interesting topic to discuss and we'd love to know your
thoughts on whether fitting speed limiters to commercial vehicles
should be compulsory, join in the discussion by tweeting us at
@CobraUKLtd.