Cruise control can help to avoid fines

Experts are predicting that fitting speed limiters to cars will save lives.

While excessive speed certainly contributes to many accidents, a method of rigidly fixing the maximum speed of a vehicle has one serious drawback.

If you accelerate to pass a slower vehicle there are many times when you need to continue accelerating in order to safely pull back in, which would not be possible if a limiter was fitted.

I have a car fitted with a selectable speed limiter and at first thought this was a wonderful way not to exceeding the speed limit. Just set it at the applicable speed and drive normally. This is fine until you require a little more speed to avoid a situation and find that the car just won't go any faster.

It very much depends on what speed is chosen as the maximum, but I prefer to use my cruise control, set at the prevailing limit, to avoid a speeding ticket.

This way, should you need to accelerate to avoid the unexpected, you always have the option. Full control of the vehicle is maintained as braking automatically disengages the cruise control. Current technology has given us satellite navigation, with all its shortcomings, which is capable of indicating the applicable speed limit.

I am sure that the next logical step is for this information to be used by the vehicle to adjust its speed.

However, this must only be done in such a way that the driver has ultimate control and responsibility for the vehicle.

John Harris, Chester Road South, Kidderminster.