It has started an argument in our house. We can not find an answer to on the internet.
We know when motorways were first introduced there was no speed limit at all.
People, if they had a bike or car which would use it, the 'Ton Up'. Was the thing. Simon Dee used to talk about it on his show on TV. Too young to remember you lot.
But exactly what year was the speed limit on motorways introduced?
It must have been some time in the 1960s. It was not long after the M1 because so many 'incidents' had happened.
Most people do manage to get around unscathed doing dangerous things. That is true but in the event of an accident or incident more people have a better chance of survival if they are wearing protection such as protective head gear or seat belts.
Lots of us here are old enough to remember the days when it was thought of as cissy to wear protection of any kind and seat belts in cars had not been invented.
There were less vehicles on the road of course but there were other dangers.
Vehicles which were unfit to be there (the MOT got rid of them) then there were those which belched black smoke.
I suggest more people in the past like bus and lorry drivers have died a slow death from the exhaust fumes from vehicles than smoking.