MORE than 82 per cent of British drivers are in favour of speed cameras being used to fine motorists caught breaking the limit near schools.

Independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, is highlighting the findings from its annual study.

Responses showed that more than four in five drivers are in favour of using cameras to automatically fine drivers travelling more than ten miles per hour over the limit near schools.

However, the survey of 2,000 motorists went on to highlight that attitudes towards speeding on motorways were significantly different.

Only 63 per cent of drivers supported the use of cameras to detect those driving ten miles per hour above the limit on motorways.

It also identified that just under half of all motorists (46 per cent) think it is acceptable to drive at 80 miles per hour on the motorway.

As many as one in four believe it is acceptable to do so at speeds greater than 80 miles per hour.

Neil Greig, policy and research director at IAM RoadSmart, said: “It is reassuring to see that the majority of motorists we surveyed are in favour of using speed cameras to improve road safety outside schools.

“Speeding in towns may be universally disliked, but it is clear that we still have a long way to go before the same message gets through on motorways.

“Speeding causes more than 4,000 casualties each year on UK roads – that’s an average of 11 people a day killed or seriously injured.

“So it is extremely disappointing to see such apparent acceptance of speeding on motorways, and we need to do more to create a fundamental shift in attitude and behaviour here.”