Three Quarters of Brits Drive in the Fast Lane

- Three Quarters of Brits admit to driving over 80mph, flouting the 70mph speed limit

- Middle aged men are more likely to exceed 100mph than boy racers in their 20s

- In fact over a quarter of 20-30s never exceed 70mph

LONDON, June 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- With Formula One drivers topping 195mph at Silverstone this weekend, a consumer survey by international provider of traffic information and driver services INRIX found when it comes to putting pedal to metal, a staggering three quarters of all Brits admit to exceeding 80mph, in fact one in three drivers has topped 100mph.

"On the eve of the sold out race at Silverstone this weekend, the findings show the U.K.'s need for speed extends well beyond the track into their daily lives," said Jon Maron, Vice President of Marketing, INRIX. "While speeding is one way to make up for lost time idle in traffic, apps like INRIX Traffic can help drivers find the best route around the day's jams without the risk of a speeding ticket."

The buzz at Silverstone this weekend will be electric, as 120,000 spectators flock to see the world's finest drivers and most highly engineered cars drive impossibly fast. According to the survey, Brits love of motorsport and fast cars runs deep:

• Middle aged drivers are the biggest speed offenders.  Nearly half of drivers aged 35-45 claim to have exceeded 100mph on British roads compared to just 32 percent of 20-34 year olds.  One of every five U.K. drivers 35-45 years old admitted to traveling 10 mph over the speed limit regularly.  Men were also more likely to break the speed limit (84 percent) than women (69 percent)
• The Nurburgring Nordschliefe in an Aston Martin is the most coveted drive.  Nearly half (40 percent) of Brits cited Nurburgring over other famous roads for the ultimate drive.  In addition, the Aston Martin One-77 beat Bugatti, Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini for the title of most desired supercar among those surveyed.
• McLaren battles Ferrari for popularity.  The majority of 55-64 year olds dream of driving for McLaren while Ferrari was the favourite team for 20-34 year olds who grew up following Michale Schumacher's legendary winning streak in the mid-90s and early 00s. 
• Lewis Hamilton reigns supreme.  Despite recent controversy, over a third of Brits (36 percent) would prefer to go for a test drive with Lewis Hamilton, over championship leader Sebastian Vettel (14 percent).

Tips for Avoiding the Slow Lane to Silverstone

INRIX analysed recent traffic patterns around Silverstone including traffic conditions from last year's event to help race fans get to the track in time for the big race. Unlike the field at Silverstone who will be racing at speeds up to 200 mph, frustrated spectators could find themselves stuck in traffic on the way to the track crawling at just 19mph -- 10 times slower than their racings idols. INRIX offers the following advice to help drivers avoid lengthy delays around Silverstone this weekend:

• For the quickest journey fans should avoid travelling at the peak times below:
  • 10-11am on the Friday
  • 7 to 8 am on the Saturday
  • 9 to 11 am on the Sunday
• Drivers on the A43 leading in to the circuit from the M1 J15a at Rothersthorpe will experience the worst delays.  At peak times, drivers should allow an extra 1hr 15 for a typical 15 minute journey
• INRIX recommends spectators travelling from the East or Northern parts of London cut across town or take the M25 to join the M40 as it will save them valuable time.
• Plan ahead and check traffic conditions before leaving using apps like INRIX Traffic.   The INRIX Traffic app is available for free on IOS and Android platforms ahead of Silverstone this weekend.  The app analyzes data from millions of vehicles traveling U.K. roads every day to provide drivers with real-time traffic maps showing the best routes, recommended departure time and expected arrival times. Covering all major highways and secondary roads in the U.K., the app also alerts drivers to accidents and other traffic causing delays as well as the ability to share one's arrival times with any contact in their address book by making just a few taps on their smartphone.

Research Methodology and Background:

• This survey was conducted among 1000 U.K. consumers who follow/watch F1 racing.
• Interviews were conducted online by Redshift Research in June 2013 using an email invitation and an online survey.
• Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total populations aged 18 and older and results of any sample are subject to sampling variation.
• The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results.
• In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 1.9 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
• The sample was selected from the Crowdology panel. Crowdology™ is an online panel owned and operated by Redshift Research.  The Crowdology™ panel is balanced across regional, age and gender demographic factors, and is nationally representative of the UK population.
• Each respondent completes 120 profiling questions before being accepted to join our panel.  Panel Quality Management is carried out frequently to ensure reliable surveys.

About INRIX

INRIX is one of the fastest growing big data technology companies in the world. The company leverages big data analytics to reduce the individual, economic and environmental toll of traffic congestion. Through cutting-edge data intelligence and predictive traffic technologies, INRIX helps leading automakers, fleets, governments and news organizations make it easier for drivers to navigate their world. Our vision is simple – to solve traffic, empower drivers, inform planning and enhance commerce.

Whether through an in-car or smartphone navigation application, a local newscast or our INRIX Traffic app, our up-to-the-minute traffic information and other driver services help more than 150 million drivers save time, fuel and frustration. INRIX delivers traffic and driving-related insight, as well as sophisticated analytical tools and services across six industries covering nearly 3 miles of road in 32 countries.