WILL HIGHER SPEED LIMITS KILL?

In 1974, the Federal Government established a national speed limit of 55 mph (25 m/s). The limit was instituted at the time of the Arab oil embargo when gasoline was scarce; however, the unexpected benefit of the lower speed limit was a 16 percent drop in highway fatalities. The 55-mph speed limit, though, is quickly disappearing. The United States Congress repealed the national limit at the end of 1995, turning speed limit authority over to the states. Eastern states are expected to keep limits closer to 55 mph than western states--some of which immediately raised their limits to 75 mph (34 m/s). This article examines arguments on both sides of the speed issue and gives a profile of the worst offenders. A sidebar describes a unique program for young speeders.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00410721
• Corporate Authors:

  National Safety Council

  1121 Spring Lake Drive
  Itasca, IL  United States  60143
• Authors:
  • Graham, S
• Publication Date: 1996-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 6-10
• Serial:
  • Traffic Safety (Chicago)
  • Volume: 96
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: National Safety Council
  • ISSN: 0041-0721

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fatalities; Highway safety; Operating speed; Speed limits; State government; Studies; Traffic speed
• Old TRIS Terms: Speed studies
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I81: Accident Statistics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00727005
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 29 1996 12:00AM