Tuesday 4 November • 13.30 - 14.15

This workshop is now fully subscribed - there is no further availability

Speeding remains one of the most persistent and high-risk behaviours on our roads, despite widespread awareness of the dangers. This workshop will explore how behavioural science can help move beyond traditional approaches by identifying the real drivers of behaviour and how this understanding can support more targeted and effective responses.

Behavioural science examines how people make decisions and behave in real-world contexts, often revealing patterns that differ from what logic or education alone would predict. In the context of road safety, it offers a valuable lens for understanding why risky behaviours, such as speeding, continue to occur.

This interactive workshop will provide participants with a practical framework that will help them to understand the WHY behind human choice and behaviour. Through guided discussion and applied exercises, participants will use the model to explore what may be enabling or preventing road users from travelling at safe speeds.

By the end of the session, participants will:

• Understand the core principles of behavioural science and their relevance to road safety
• Be able to assess the behavioural influences behind speeding and similar behaviours
• Recognise how behavioural barriers and enablers can inform more persuasive and targeted interventions
• Gain hands-on experience using behavioural frameworks in realistic scenarios

This session will be particularly relevant to those working in strategy, communications, enforcement or education who are looking to address persistent challenges, such as speeding, with greater behavioural insight and impact.

Dr Holly Hope Smith, Head of Behavioural Science, SoMoCo

Dr Holly Hope Smith is Head of Behavioural Science at SoMoCo and a Research Fellow at the University of Manchester. Holly specialises in applying behavioural science methodologies to transport safety and urban mobility challenges.

She has led influential evaluation projects across the UK, pioneering methods to measure behaviour change and improve intervention effectiveness in real-world, high-risk settings.