Interstate—or Speedway?
If any of you bloggers out there are Texans, we'd love to hear from you on this one....
Following legislation passed last year, speeds on two West Texas highways may soon increase to 80 miles per hour.
Why? Because, according to transportation officials, most drivers are already driving nearly 80 miles per hour anyway.
Here's where I studder: According to a recent story in the Insurance Journal, the Texas Department of Public Safety wants to make driving on the interstate safer. But how will raising the speed limit accomplish this?
"It's generally considered a safer condition when motorists are traveling at a uniform speed," a department spokesperson said. And since a recent survey by the state's department of transportation revealed that 85 percent of drivers were already driving up to 79 mph, it appears all Texans cruising Interstates 10 and 20 in western portions of the state may now be encouraged to drive faster to keep up with the flow of traffic.
OK, excuse my sarcasm for a moment, but is this an attempt at reverse psychology or what? I mean, I realize there isn't much to see in West Texas (having lived in the Lone Star state myself for almost 25 years); but does raising the speed limit to keep speed demons within the limits of the law really help keep everyone safe? Maybe we should remove the thrill of breaking and entering for burglars by making that legal, too?
Here are the facts: statistics show that raising speed limits has a "correlating effect" on the number of traffic fatalities...translation: the higher the speed limit, the more people die. Add to that the additional 20 cents per gallon of gas we have to spend for each 5 mph we drive over 60 (according to the U.S. Department of Energy), and we're looking at a recipe for death and disaster—to say nothing of the consequences on our car insurance premiums!
What do you think? Should the entire nation follow suit and raise speed limits to accommodate the majority of drivers who apparently speed anyway? I'd welcome your thoughts on the matter.
Oh and hey, be careful out there, will ya?
Comments
Yeah, I'm not entirely sure I get the logic here, but I am a tad jealousâ€â€the max speed limit in Iowa for I-35 and I-80 (the major Iowa interstates) is 65 mph. Driving Miss Daisy, indeed.
However, I'd be curious to hear how Texan insurers feel about the legislation. I would assume an increased speed limit also increases risk to insurance companies.
Keep us posted. :)
Posted by: Megan Mahan | May 18, 2006 01:14 PM
As one who used to work for CDOT, I can tell you that most people will drive at a speed they feel is safe regardless of the posted limit. I'm not usually a one issue voter, but if Hillary proposes a nationwide 55 MPH speed limit she will not get my vote.
Posted by: Jr. | June 1, 2006 07:40 AM
Good point, Jr. Raising the speed limit seems pretty pointless if people are going to ignore the signs anyway.
I remember well the days of posted 55 mph speed limits ...it seemed to take FOREVER to get where you were going, frustrating most drivers (including me). But most of the time driving slower did save lives, so it's hard to argue with the statistics.
Working for the highway department--I don't envy you that! I salute anyone willing to put themselves in harm's way like that just to improve our roadways. Hats off to you!
Posted by: Penny Hagerman | June 1, 2006 09:16 AM