Did you know that the 70mph speed limit was introduced in 1965, only three days before Christmas? It’s true. It meant people would begin their new year not only with a handful of resolutions but with a new speed to stick to when they returned to work. It was initially used as an experiment, which only lasted four months, however, in 1967 the law returned and made permanent.
When Leasing Options returned at the start of the year, this got us thinking. What are the speed limits in other countries around the world, and if they vary, which reduces the number of accidents the most?
Accident Rate Per 1,000 People
First, let’s look at the countries around the world that have the most car accidents, ranked by the rate per 1,000 people.
Mexico Tops The Leaderboard For Accidents Per 1,000
After compiling the most recent accident data available from each country, when you look at accident rates per 1,000 people, Mexico comes out on top, and by quite a margin. It tops the leaderboard with 12,056 accidents. Mexico has a population of around 129 million, which provides us with a rate of 10.7 accidents per 1,000 people.
Initially, this doesn’t seem all that bad when you think about how many cars must then be on the roads at one time in Mexico. However, when you discover that Azerbaijan, which comes in second place on this list, have a rate of 6.4 accidents per 1,000 people. A difference of 4.3.
It becomes even more staggering, both that Mexico tops the list and that Azerbaijan comes in second, when third on the list is China, with a population of around 1.44 billion people. According to the data, China recorded 247,646 accidents, which far surpasses both Mexico and Azerbaijan, but when you calculate the number per 1,000 people, the rate drops to 5.8 accidents.
India, a country that’s also densely populated and is famed for its extremely busy roads, ranks next in the fourth position with only 3.0 accidents per 1,000 people.
The USA Take 3rd Place In Safest Roads In The World
The shocks keep coming when you look at the other end of the table too. The United States of America rank third on our list of safest roads with a rate of only 0.2 accidents per 1,000 people. A result we don’t think anyone would have expected. The USA was only beaten by Liechtenstein and Bosnia, who recorded a rate of only 0.1 accidents per 1,000 people.
Speed Limits Around The World
Bulgaria And Poland Are The Fastest Countries In The World
According to data from rhinocarhire, Bulgaria and Poland have the highest maximum speed limits in the world, and they may want to rethink this, as according to our study, both countries find themselves in the top 15 for accidents per 1,000 people.
However, even more surprising is to discover that, contrary to belief, America has the third fastest roads in the world… technically. The USA gets the reputation of being one of the slower places in the world to drive but, in reality, America has some of the fastest. This is because speed limits in America vary across different states. Yes, there are relatively slow maximum speed limits in the US compared to other countries, such as 60mph (97kph) in Hawaii, but they also have areas like Texas where you can travel 85mph (137kph), which takes the USA into third place on the fastest roads list.
An honourable mention goes out to Germany as well. As we all know, on Germany’s autobahn, there are sections where there are no speed limits, which technically means you can go as fast as you like (but we wouldn’t recommend it). However, as there is no technical speed limit here, it’s not part of our list.
80kph Safest For Rural Roads
When you look specifically at the speed limits countries set on their roads around the world, there are quite a lot of similarities. However, one interesting point our study shows is that it appears 80kph (50mph) should be set for rural roads, instead of the more common 90kph (56mph).
When we split our database up and look at the top 10 countries with the least accidents per 1,000, we see the majority of their rural roads are set to a maximum speed limit of 80kph (50mph). When we compare this to the top 10 with the most, they, for the most part, have their rural speed limit set to 90kph (56mph).
“It’s interesting to see how speed limits vary across the globe and how the highest number of accidents aren’t always in the countries with the highest populations. It’s also intriguing to see the correlation between accidents on rural roads at 80kph versus 90kph.
Whatever the speed limit in your country, make sure to stick to the limit, to keep yourself and others safe.” - Mike Thompson, Chief Operating Officer at Leasing Options.
Leasing With Leasing Options
If you’re looking for a new motor, car leasing is a great option. Here at Leasing Options, we have a vast range of car leasing deals, suitable for whatever your situation.
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