Overview

• Published in BMJ Injury Prevention, the study is the first global qualitative synthesis on why people speed, drawing on research from nine countries.
• It concludes that social pressure, road design and weak enforcement drive speeding, and that information-only campaigns are insufficient.
• Global evidence cited shows that a 10 km/h reduction in average speed can lower the risk of a fatal crash by up to 40 percent.
• Recommendations include transparent automated enforcement, speed‑calming road design, stricter licensing and targeted measures for young drivers, in‑vehicle speed limiters, and better public transport.
• The findings are flagged as especially relevant for India’s high crash burden in 2023 and underscore major evidence gaps in low‑ and middle‑income countries.