EFFECT OF 55-MPH SPEED LIMIT ON AVERAGE SPEEDS OF FREE- FLOWING AUTOMOBILES OF AN INTERSTATE BRIDGE IN WEST VIRGINIA

Data on average speeds of free-flowing automobiles were collected from a study of vehicle speed and placement on an Interstate bridge in West Virginia. Because the study included data collected in the summers of 1973 and 1974, it was possible to compare mean speeds for each summer to determine whether the nationwide speed limit of 55 mph (89 km/h) had any effect. It was found that mean speed declined from 61.0 mph (98.2 km/h) in 1973 to 54.5 mph (87.7 km/h) in 1974. The standard deviation of the distribution also declined from 9.2 mph (14.8 km/h) to 6.0 mph (10.0 km/h), thus providing another possible explanation for the reduction in automobile accidents.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1975/538/538-007.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=EFFECT+OF+55-MPH+SPEED+LIMIT+ON+AVERAGE+SPEEDS+OF+FREE-+FLOWING+AUTOMOBILES+OF+AN+INTERSTATE+BRIDGE+IN+WEST+VIRGINIA&author=B.+Byrne&author=R.+Roberts&publication_year=1975
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Highway Capacity and Quality of Service. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Byrne, Bernard F
  • Roberts, Robert R
• Conference:
  • 54th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia
  • Date: 1975-1-13 to 1975-1-17
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 69-74
• Monograph Title: Capacity and Quality of Service
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 538
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Average spot speed; Crash rates; Laws; Speed; Speed limits; Standard deviation; Traffic speed
• Uncontrolled Terms: Speed laws
• Geographic Terms: West Virginia
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00127144
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309023890
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 14 1976 12:00AM