'I was travelling downhill.' Just a list of excuses police hear when they catch people speeding.

Despite the risk of being pulled over or caught on camera, Aussies continue to speed on the road every day. In fact, between July last year and January 2023, police handed out over 95,00 speeding fines in New South Wales alone.

We've all seen the often creative (and sometimes questionable) excuses people come up with for their speeding antics on shows like Highway Patrol and RBT, proving there are myriad reasons people resort to when they are eventually caught. 

So we asked Victoria and Queenland police to share the most common excuses they hear time and time again – and they're not as creative as you'd think.

Here's what they had to say. 

1. "I was running late for work or an appointment."

2. "My speedo must be out."

3. "I didn't see the speed limit sign."

4. "I was overtaking another vehicle."

5. "I was travelling downhill."

6. "I wasn't paying attention."

7. "I didn't think I was going that fast."

8. "Everyone else was doing it."

9. "I was just following the flow of traffic."

10. "I need to go to the toilet."

But the most common excuse cops hear is surprisingly simple.

A Victoria Police spokesperson told Mamamia that when people are caught speeding, most just call it how it is, telling police officers they have "no reason".

"Many drivers know they shouldn’t be speeding, but make a conscious choice to anyway," said the spokesperson.

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Luke Flanagan, Senior Sergeant and Officer in Charge from Queensland Police, has found the same.

"People will react [to being pulled over] in different ways," he tells Mamamia. "I would say the majority of the population know they're speeding, so if they are pulled over and given a ticket... [they say], 'Yeah, fair enough. You got me.'"

But despite the casual attitude, speeding remains a serious issue in Australia and is factor in a third of fatal accidents nationwide. 

"Speeding remains a major contributor to road trauma," said the Victoria Police spokesperson. 

"There is absolutely no excuse for speeding and if you choose to speed, rest assured, you will be caught."

Feature Image: Getty.