After our discussion of motorcycle top speeds the other day it was interesting that this article appeared addressing the issue of higher speed limits. The gist of the article is that as speed limits have increased, highway deaths have gone down, something you never hear from the bureaucrats who want to control your behavior “for your own good.”
Speed limits were dropped to the infamous 55mph during the first oil embargo but, as often happens with many “temporary laws,” stayed in place when the original justification for the lowered limit went away. Predictions of higher death tolls on the highway were used to justify keeping the lower limits in place.
This may seem non-controversial now, but at the time the debate was shrill and filled with predictions of doom. Ralph Nader claimed that “history will never forgive Congress for this assault on the sanctity of human life.” Judith Stone, president of the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, predicted to Katie Couric on NBC’s “Today Show” that there would be “6,400 added highway fatalities a year and millions of more injuries.” Federico Pena, the Clinton Administration’s Secretary of Transportation, declared: “Allowing speed limits to rise above 55 simply means that more Americans will die and be injured on our highways.”
Finally, after it became apparent that almost no one obeyed the old limits anymore, the states were allowed to set their own limits and many promptly raised them to 70mph, some to 75mph and Texas is now at 80mph, which simply reflects reality and often very wide open spaces.
Funny thing happened, as time went on and speeds were increased, highway fatalities per mile went down, exactly the opposite of the dire predictions. With safer roads and not having to constantly be on the lookout for radar speed traps, ready to jam on the brakes at a moment’s notice, people could actually relax and drive. Numbers like these are downplayed by those who have their own reasons for controlling the behavior of others.
Recently, another report on motorcycle accidents, cited rising injuries and fatalities and pointing to the repeal of helmet laws, builds the case to reinstate those laws. What is not mentioned, but becomes apparent if you dig into the numbers, is that though motorcycle accidents and deaths rose, there was a greater increase in motorcycle registrations and miles ridden so, in fact, accidents and deaths per mile ridden went down. That doesn’t fit into the preconceived notions of those who want more laws and restrictions so it’s conveniently overlooked.
Although many drivers and riders are injured or killed every day, the quick fix by restriction and regulation is often no help at all and very possibly counter productive. Is there a way to eliminate highway fatalities? Unless you eliminate driving and riding altogether, no. Can they be reduced? Possibly, but accidents are a fact of life and without draconian measures and restrictions on your ability to travel, or some self sprung dramatic improvement in the skill level of all drivers and riders, accidents will continue to show up on the evening news. Focus enforcement on those who are obviously reckless and dangerous and let everyone else travel in peace. We’ll all be better for it.
Link: Wall Street Journal via Instapundit
The Kneeslider: Production Motorcycle Top Speed Records
palegreenhorse says
one thing that speeders and non-speeders alike ignore is the fact that if all traffic is moving at about the same speed it is safer. so you raise the speed limit and people that previously went slow merely because they didn’t want a ticket now drive at the same speed as the rest of the traffic, which is safer. so as the speed limits rise i am in favor of seeing minimum speeds required too.
mark says
An old friend of mine likes to say that there are three kinds of cars: cars you drive, cars you steer, and cars you aim. When most speed limits were developed, most of the cars on the road were cars you aimed. Now that most of us have cars you drive (ie, ones with tight steering/suspension and responsive handling), those speed limits are unreasonably low. Cars handle so much better now that speed limits really should be raised in almost all areas, not just interstate highways — but on interstates especially, they should absolutely be raised to reflect the speeds at which most people drive. 75-80 would be a perfectly reasonable speed limit.
Unfortunately, I think the reason we won’t see this happen in too many places has nothing to do with road safety, but rather with revenue generation. Those speeding tickets bring in a lot of money, especially in states like New York that have turned it into big business.
James - Whybike.com says
The study I saw did find that fatalities have decreased, but collisions increased. I would attribute fatalities to safer automobiles. Can you honestly argue that 75 mph is safer than 55mph? I really don’t think that someone is qualified to drive over 55 miles an hour after only 4 hours of drivers training and a 25 question test.
And leave my minimum speed limit alone. I get 60+ mpg in my car at 50 mph. Sure I get flipped off and tailgaited, but I am getting 600 miles to a tank and laughing all the way to the bank. Now my motorcycle is a different story. How about a speed limit just for motorcycles and a lower one for cars?
Gaijin Biker says
Excellent post. I linked here.
coho says
palegreenhorse’s theory is sound, except for the fact that those people currently going 5-25% over the speed limit will still be going 5-25% over the speed limit when the limit is raised. Because it’s exactly what happened the last time.
I was in college when 55mph went away. I drove 30 miles (each way) on I-84 to get to school. Average traffic speed (rural central Washington, 1987) 65-70mph. The Fast guys 75-80mph. Then the speed limit was raised to 65mph (after a two-week orgy of tickets written to people going 62 before the new speed became legal). Average traffic speed 75-80mph. The Fast guys 90-105mph.
I’m in favor of higher speed limits, 55 is ridiculous, but the people driving the speed limit because they don’t want to get a ticket aren’t the danger. The people going 5mph (or more) UNDER because “it’s safer” are the danger. In any case, the speeders will speed and the left-lane-idlers will idle regardless of the limit because none of them care how much safer traffic is when everybody goes the same speed. Smooth, safe, quick, efficient traffic flow is not a meaningful concept to the vast majority of people. They just want to GO NOW, preferably in front of THAT GUY.
This does not apply to everyone. Your results may vary.
But I bet not by very much. I vote Reasonable and Prudent for bikes and some kind of underground tube for everybody else. Just think of the ecological benefits of being able to narrow every road by as much as half!