ALMOST half of NSW and ACT drivers admit to speeding because they didn’t notice signs indicating a change in the speed limit, research from AAMI reveals.

Of those who admit to speeding, over half claim to only do so by less than 10km over the speed limit.

According to research from insurer AAMI, other reasons NSW and ACT drivers give for speeding include driving on auto pilot (34 per cent), being distracted and thinking about something else (27 per cent), rushing (25 per cent) and not knowing what time school zones apply (10 per cent).

The research also showed that afternoons between 1-4.30 pm, during school pick-up hours, is the most common time for crashes.

According to statistics from the Australian Road Safety Foundation, 1,127 people died on Australian roads last year, up almost three per cent on the previous year.

Of the deaths, 11 per cent were children under the age of 18 years, there were 19 child pedestrian deaths in 2021.

With the start of the school year fast approaching, Australian Road Safety Foundation CEO, Russell White said the statistics show that some drivers need to brush up on their road safety skills.

“People don’t realise that speeding, even a few kilometres over the speed limit in a school zone, can be the difference between life and death for our children,” said Mr White.