Study: 82% of Latvian Drivers Admit to Speeding by at Least 10 km/h
New data from the Carlsberg 0.0 Responsible Driving Index shows that the majority of Latvian drivers still exceed the speed limit by 10 km/h, with no significant change from the previous year.
According to the “Carlsberg 0.0 Responsible Driving Index”, 82% of Latvian drivers admit to exceeding the speed limit by at least 10 km/h. Of these, 18% do so often, 5% regularly, and 59% rarely. Compared to 2025, when 83% of drivers acknowledged this habit, the situation has not changed significantly.
The study reveals that men are more likely to speed: 87% of men and 77% of women admit to exceeding the limit. The proportion of drivers who speed often or regularly also remains stable at 23% this year, virtually unchanged from last year.
By age, drivers aged 30–39 are the most frequent offenders, with 33% admitting to speeding often or regularly. Location also matters: in Riga, 31% of drivers speed often or regularly, compared to 18% in rural areas.
Currently, in Latvia, exceeding the speed limit by up to 10 km/h results in a warning for passenger car drivers. The Ministry of Transport has previously considered lowering the threshold for fines, but no changes have been implemented as of July this year.
Jānis Vanks, head of the Safe Driving School, notes that speeding by 10 km/h is not just a problem for reckless individuals but has become a widespread norm. He emphasizes that even small speed increases significantly affect accident risk. For instance, World Health Organization data show that a 1% increase in average speed raises the risk of a fatal crash by 4% and the risk of a severe crash by 3%. Moreover, the risk of pedestrian death increases 4.5 times when the collision speed rises from 50 to 65 km/h.
The survey was conducted in March 2026, involving 1,000 Latvian residents aged 18–74, including 701 drivers.
