Young motorists “dramatically” increased their speed before important football matches, according to Insurethebox data.

Instances of speeding among their predominantly 17-24 year old drivers increased by over a fifth in the hour before England matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Insurethebox’s road safety manager Simon Rewell said: “’It’s coming home’ has been a popular message for football fans this summer.

"But fans must make sure that no matter how big the game, it is not worth the risks that come with speeding.

"Leaving 5 minutes earlier is a much safer way of getting home for the game – and avoids the risk of a collision that could have lifelong consequences.”

The results found that drivers in the Midlands sped the most during group stage games, which saw a 46% speed increase. This rose during knockout stages, with speed up by 78%.

East of England drivers ranked second overall, with a 133% increase in speeding before the Croatia semi-final – the highest in the country for this match.

Drivers in Scotland and Wales ranked lowest in the speeding league table. London drivers also recorded relatively low changes in speeding – perhaps influenced by congestion and the wider availability of public transport.

However, while young drivers in the West of England appeared to stay within the speed limit during the group stages, when the weekend hit and England played Sweden, there was a 167% increase in the hour before the game.

Fans in the North were also more excited by the Sweden game, recording a 161% increase in speeding.

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