SOME drivers are taking advantage of near deserted roads to drive their high-powered cars at speeds well above the legal maximum.

And police have highlighted some cazy drivers' high-speed antics on social media including the case of one Mercedes driver who was followed by police on the M1 in Leicestershire at speeds of up to 151mph. As officers caught up with the car he ‘slowed to 110'.

Now road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is asking drivers to pay close attention to the speeds they use whilst out and about during the current period of lockdown.

GEM says that speed limits continue to apply and that ignoring them brings significantly increased risks. In London alone, for example, eight people have died recently and many others have been seriously injured in collisions, with speeding being the most frequent factor identified by police.

GEM road safety officer Neil Worth commented: "Restrictions on movement in the past three weeks have led to sharp drops in vehicle use. But police chiefs across the country have been sharing examples of shocking behaviour by drivers who appear to be using the quieter roads as an opportunity to flout the speed limits."

Other examples include an Audi recorded at 105mph on a 60mph stretch of the A13 east of London - the driver said he didn't realise he was going that fast as the road was quiet - and three drivers on the A14 in Suffolk who were detected at speeds of 102, 103 and 109mph last week.

Neil Worth added: "Speeding increases the risk of a collision which could lead to a serious injury or even a fatality. In today's climate that puts unnecessary pressure on the NHS and could potentially deprive a desperate Covid-19 patient of vital medical care.

"We can help reduce this pressure if we are on essential journeys in the coming days and weeks - by respecting all speed limits, by challenging others who don't see speeding as a problem and by treating all speeding as socially unacceptable."