A number of conditions should dictate your speed while driving - these include the weather, the traffic, any hazards or potential hazards, the speed limit on the road on which you are driving, and tiredness. Some of these conditions are explained briefly below.
The weather plays a major role in dictating your driving speed. For example, on a clear, sunny day, you would have good visibility of the road and other cars around you, so it would be perfectly safe to drive a little faster if you wanted to do so. However, in rainy, snowy or foggy conditions, for example, your visibility will be reduced, so it's a good idea to keep your speed down. Not only that, but rainwater, snow or ice on the road can make driving more difficult, meaning you should again try to keep your speed down.
Attempting to do 40mph on a road full of other drivers doing 30mph is a bad idea - you have to take into account the actions of other drivers when deciding upon your driving speed. In addition, if the road is busy, it's probably more sensible to keep your speed down a little - on the other hand, if the road was completely clear of other traffic, you could do whatever speed you wanted to (up to the speed limit).
The speed limit has been set for a reason - for your safety and for the safety of others. You should observe the applicable speed limit of the road on which you are traveling no matter what - whether it's first thing in the morning or last thing at night, or whether you're the only driver on the road or stuck in nose-to-tail traffic.
Long journeys and driving late at night have one thing in common - chances are that the driver will be tired. Driving when you are tired is a bad idea, because your reflexes and attention span will be slower and lower than normal, and you will be less alert to notice things happening on the road in front of you. Therefore, keeping your speed down is a good idea on long or night-time journeys.
- The weather
The weather plays a major role in dictating your driving speed. For example, on a clear, sunny day, you would have good visibility of the road and other cars around you, so it would be perfectly safe to drive a little faster if you wanted to do so. However, in rainy, snowy or foggy conditions, for example, your visibility will be reduced, so it's a good idea to keep your speed down. Not only that, but rainwater, snow or ice on the road can make driving more difficult, meaning you should again try to keep your speed down.
- The traffic
Attempting to do 40mph on a road full of other drivers doing 30mph is a bad idea - you have to take into account the actions of other drivers when deciding upon your driving speed. In addition, if the road is busy, it's probably more sensible to keep your speed down a little - on the other hand, if the road was completely clear of other traffic, you could do whatever speed you wanted to (up to the speed limit).
- The speed limit
The speed limit has been set for a reason - for your safety and for the safety of others. You should observe the applicable speed limit of the road on which you are traveling no matter what - whether it's first thing in the morning or last thing at night, or whether you're the only driver on the road or stuck in nose-to-tail traffic.
- Tiredness
Long journeys and driving late at night have one thing in common - chances are that the driver will be tired. Driving when you are tired is a bad idea, because your reflexes and attention span will be slower and lower than normal, and you will be less alert to notice things happening on the road in front of you. Therefore, keeping your speed down is a good idea on long or night-time journeys.