Should a 55-mph National Speed Limit Become Law?

55 MPH Speed Limit

Lower speeds means lower gas consumption. Every 10 mph over 55 mph wastes 10% more gas. If you're getting 30mpg at 55, you're only getting 24mpg at 75. Just driving 55 mph would significantly reduce our carbon emiissions! Unfortunately, getting Americans to drive reasonably is about as hopeless as eating well and avoiding obesity. We have no will power.

55 mph National Speed Limit`

I will not reiterate the earlier comments. the facts are well presented.

The proposed speed limit probably originated from a resident of an eastern state. The comment regarding a 25 mile commute hardly applies west if the Mississippi river. On the wast coast many commutes are 70 to 120 miles one way. There is a major difference in travel time between 55mph and 70-75 mph.

This is apparently an attempt to impose one person's preference on all persons. If one wishes to drive 55 mph on the interstate, he may do so. I know of no interstate highway with a minimum speed above 50 mph.

Do not forget the near rebellion created by the last nationwide speed limit. It did increase sales of radar detectors and spawned the song "Convoy" along with other folklore. My message to the proponents of the nationwide speed limit is; just leave me alone and take care of yourself.

Bad Science produces skewed results

The UIC study focuses on highway safety and traffic fatalities due to post-NMSL speed limits. Let's look at some government statistics, which exist in great abundance. Specifically, I visited the websites of the National Highway Traffic System Administration and the Federal Highway Administration.

The NHTSA has established the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS); there, you’ll find the following data:

U.S. Highway Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled

2008: 1.27

2007: 1.36

2006: 1.42

2005: 1.46

2004: 1.44

2003: 1.48

2002: 1.51

2001: 1.51

2000: 1.53

1999: 1.55

1998: 1.58

1997: 1.64

1996: 1.69

1995: 1.73

1994: 1.73

The fatality rate has steadily dropped over this period to reach its lowest total in 2008. As another benchmark, the national highway deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 1980 was 3.35. In other words, traffic fatalities have dropped by 62% in less than 30 years. Technological advances in vehicle safety, as well as other factors such as highway improvements, over the years play a large role in the reduction of highway deaths.

But back to the 55 mph speed limit proponents. Here is a quote from the Federal Highway Administration on their Speed Management page:

Speeding is a safety concern on all roads, regardless of their speed limits. Much of the public concern about speeding has been focused on high-speed Interstates. The Interstate System, however, actually has the best safety record of all roads and the lowest fatality rate of all road classes. Almost 50 percent of speeding-related fatalities occur on lower speed collector and local roads, which carry only 27.9 percent of the total vehicle miles traveled in the United States. Collector roads usually have legal speed limits of 55 mi/h or less. Speed limits on local roads are often 35 mi/h or lower.

Lowering the current speed limits on the nation’s interstate system to reduce fatalities is unrealistic, not only because the government data and analysis don’t support that conclusion, but who among us expects the driving public to slow down to 55 mph when they know they can drive safely and appropriately at much higher speeds on the nation’s highways?