According to a survey conducted by the insurance company ERGO and the research agency Norstat, 67% of Latvian drivers regularly exceed the speed limit. The results showed that speeding is most often done by men, residents of Riga and the Riga region, middle-aged people and people with a higher income. According to the survey, men are more reckless drivers than women when it comes to speeding. 74% of men and 60% of women admitted to this violation. Men also indicate a wider amplitude of speeding compared to women and receive fines more often. The survey showed that 66% of male drivers received fines for speeding and almost twice as few women – 36%. When analyzed by age groups, speeding is most common among people aged 30 to 49. 72% of respondents in this age group indicated that they regularly exceed the speed limit. At the same time, younger people and older drivers drive slightly more responsibly: in the 18-29 and 60-74 age groups, 66% and 57% of respondents exceed the speed limit, respectively. The results of the study also show a correlation between people's income level and the habit of exceeding the speed limit. Namely, as income increases, the number of violators also increases. For example, in the group of people with an income of 751-1000 euros per month, 61% admit to speeding, and among respondents with an income of 1500 euros and above, 84% exceed the speed limit. "Speeding has become a daily habit for many drivers, and this trend is especially dangerous now, at the beginning of the new school year, when traffic intensity increases. Children will be driven to schools, extracurricular activities and other events, so reckless driving can create additional risks for all road users. According to the Road Safety Directorate, from the beginning of this year to August 27, 64 road users have died in road accidents in Latvia. These are harsh statistics, but we can change them. We can already see that in areas where the average speed is controlled, the number of accidents is decreasing, but we must understand that control and fines are external means of improving the driving culture and road safety. And this culture begins with the responsibility of each driver," says Raitis Čaklis, Director of the Risk Signature Department of ERGO. As for the regions, the largest number of speed limit violators is in Riga and the Riga region (71-72%), and the smallest number is in Latgale (56%), the survey shows. Residents of Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Zemgale have similar driving habits – about 65% of drivers in these regions admit to speeding. Fines for this violation were most often received by drivers in the Riga region and Riga, and least often in Latgale and Vidzeme. The survey also showed that almost half, or 48% of Latvian drivers have never been fined for speeding, 42% have been fined one to three times, and 10% more than three times. When answering the question of how many km/h they exceed the speed limit, Latvian drivers most often said up to 10 km/h (59%), and 37% – up to 20 km/h. Only 4% admitted to exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 km/h.
