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Repeal the 55 mph speed limit!
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Subject: Repeal the 55 mph speed limit!
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From: nma@genie.geis.com (Bob Morrow)
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Date: Sat, 05 Aug 95 00:48:28 GMT
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Distribution: world
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Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
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Organization: National Motorists Association
The "Traffic Speed Trends" reports of the Federal Highway Administration (FHwA)
for the years just before the 55-mph National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL) may
be of interest.
Two participating States had no speed limit, eight had 75-mph limits, 22 had
70-mph, two had 65-mph, three had 60-mph.
AVERAGE SPEEDS OF FREE-MOVING VEHICLES AND PERCENTAGES OF PASSEN
GER CARS TRAVELING IN EXCESS OF VARIOUS SPEEDS ON LEVEL, STRAIGHT
SECTIONS OF THE COMPLETED PORTIONS OF THE RURAL INTERSTATE SYSTEM
FOR 1973
(NOTE: speeds were measured in the summer, before the embargo and oil price
RcrisisS in the fall.)
STATE Avg %>55 %>60 %>65 %>70 %>75
(NO SPEED LIMIT)
Mont. 70.2 mph 93 85 68 48 26
Nev. 70.1 mph 97 92 78 54 28
(75-MPH)
Ark. 65.8 mph 93 82 60 26 8
AZ 69.1 mph 92 82 67 46 22
Iowa 67.0 mph 92 76 60 28 11
Kans. 69.4 mph 97 91 76 52 18
Nebr. 69.8 mph 96 89 75 51 19
N.D. 69.2 mph 95 86 69 47 21
S.D. 65.3 mph 87 72 50 26 7
Tenn. 62.0 mph 86 69 32 11 1
(70-mph)
Flor. 65.0 mph 93 80 53 23 6
Ohio 66.6 mph 96 89 63 31 6
N.Mex 69.0 mph 94 86 72 45 19
(65-mph)
Penn 61.8 mph 86 60 26 5 -
N.C. 65.4 mph 95 78 44 - -
(60-mph)
Conn 65.6 mph 100 84 49 15 0
RI 62.7 mph 88 54 35 11 6
NJ 59.5 mph 85 56 12 3 1
This chart is interesting in two areas: One, once states are given the freedom to set reasonable speed limits, not
all will. CT's speed limit in '73 was 60, but according to traffic engineering standards where the 85th percentile
rule is used, that speed limit should have been 70 since only 15% exceeded 70.
Second, note that even with the freedom of no speed limits on any highway, the drivers of MT and NV
averaged only 70 mph, with not a whole lot going over 75 even though they could. Compare that to the
compliance rates for today's 55 mph limit. Inverse, isn't it?
So we see here that raising speed limits will not automatically make traffic travel "10 over" the new limit.
It will simply make most of us law-abiding again.
If this sounds good to you, you need to do two things: A) Join the National Motorists Association (by calling
800-882-2785), which is the organization that's pushing the speed limit repeal thru Congress now, and
B) Write your representatives in the House of Representatives to let them know that it's time to repeal the
national maximum speed limit law.
Check out this weekend's USA TODAY front page article on the speed limit.
Bob Morrow Join the NMA! $29/year
National Motorists Association 800-882-2785
reply to: nma@genie.geis.com
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