Unexpected things happen even on clear roads. Things fall off the backs of lorries, tyres can go, dramatically in some cases, vehicles can change lanes unexpectedly, sometimes even oncoming vehicles from the opposite carriageway, drivers can have heart attacks...

The faster we are going the less time we have to react to anything unexpected. And the less time any other drivers have to react to what we do.

People used to shrug off drunk driving as a bit of a joke. No longer, now most people recognise it as selfish and criminal and as something that merits severe penalties. Roll on the day speeding is seen in the same way.