Unless you happen to be driving a police car, an ambulance or a fire engine, there probably isn't any excuse for breaking the speed limits on public roads. And while some people break the law out of recklessness, others sometimes might find themselves going a little faster than the speed limit and not feel like it's a crime.

This week it emerged that of all the motorists caught breaking speed limits between January 2023 and Augst 2024, the very fastest speed was recorded in Leicestershire on the M1. Leicestershire Police clocked a vehicle going at 167mph.

The data came from a Freedom of Information request by the RAC and there are no further details on what kind of vehicle it was or what happened to the driver. But it's fair to say the driver in question knew they were breaking the 70mph speed limit on the motorway.

READ MORE: Driver caught doing 167mph on M1 in Leicestershire

Jonathan Clarkson, spokesperson for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership, said the difference between a few miles per hour could mean "the difference between life and death" and that everyone needed to obey the legal limits at all times.

Councils, including councils here in Leicestershire, are currently introducing ever lower speed limits with 20mph zones being introduced around schools and residential areas to encourage people to drive more slowly. However, an RAC survey carried out last year indicated 55 per cent of drivers believed there was a culture among UK road users that it was acceptable to speed.

We've put together a poll to ask whether or not you feel it's morally okay to sometimes go above the speed limit. Let us know your view by clicking on an answer below:

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “There’s no excuse for those who risk the lives of others through speeding, and there are already tough penalties in place for drivers who speed. While our roads are among the safest in the world, we are committed to improving road safety, and recently relaunched our Think! campaign with a focus on speeding, particularly on rural roads.”