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Automotive News & Views Should the US government bring back the 55 mph max speed limit again?
1418 messages, Last post on Dec 16, 2008 at 11:21 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: kernick (Dec 11, 2008 4:44 pm) First, there was a 3.5% drop in miles traveled. Original NHTSA paper Second, seat belt usage rose to 83% in 2008, the highest rate in history. Third, from From a NHTSA web page "Improved Road Safety" The above are facts from NHTSA, one speculation from me is with $4+ gas, some people may have actually slowed down to save gas. (not to 55, but maybe to the SL instead of 5-10 over?) 
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Replying to: cdn_tch (Dec 11, 2008 7:19 pm)
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Replying to: fintail (Dec 11, 2008 7:22 pm) I do, but this isn't a frenzied driving area typically either. |
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Replying to: cdn_tch (Dec 11, 2008 7:19 pm) |
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Replying to: cdn_tch (Dec 11, 2008 7:19 pm) But the report said that the fatalities haven't been this low since Lyndon Johnson' days the 60's. So, even during the 70's and 80's when the national SL was 55mph the number of fatalities was higher. And during the 70's and 80's how many cars and how many total miles were driven. So simply having a 55 mph SL is not going to save lives, as you point out in the following: Second, seat belt usage rose to 83% in 2008, the highest rate in history Yes and voluntary usage of seatbelts is good if you want to improve your safety. And you also have the voluntary options to add other injury and life-saving equipment. For instance I'm enjoying my new snow/ice tires (and the government didn't have to write a law telling me to be smart!). Third, from From a NHTSA web page "Improved Road Safety" Yes road safety is mainly a factor of the improving technology of our vehicles. As more and more vehicle with stability control enter the fleet, and radar systems, the fatality rates will continue to drop. Now if we could just do something to really keep drunks off the road, and keep inexperienced teens from racing/showing off/and generally fooling around. These are the sorts of things that improve safety; not telling they need to drive 55mph on an interstate.
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Replying to: kernick (Dec 12, 2008 9:30 am) Higher speed limits ( and defacto) are actually RESULTING in safer highways, aka does NOT result in the projected carnage predicted by the 55 mph and less advocates and fear mongerers: given a host of modifying variables. Now I realize that is not the party line and the conclusion/s are not ones they want to emphasize. One just has to remember to look to Europe as a baseline. They have 80 mph to NO speed limits and their fatality rate (per capita) is similar to ours. The modifying variables are materially the same.
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Replying to: ruking1 (Dec 12, 2008 9:46 am) For instance I'm enjoying my new snow/ice tires (and the government didn't have to write a law telling me to be smart!). Kernick, move just a bit farther north to Quebec and you'll be both smart and legal.  Quebec prepares to become the first province to make winter tires compulsory (Globe & Mail) [edit - you still have power Kernick? Sounds like quite the ice storm up there] |
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Replying to: steve_ (Dec 12, 2008 9:53 am) So for example point a to b and importantly END DESTINATION to END DESTINATION, believe it or not it is almost impossible to get much over 55 mph AVERAGE. So just because a European has a 55 mph AVERAGE it doesn't mean for example he has not gone 120 mph in achieving that average, nor woujld it necessarily mean an American HAD to go 120 mph, yet still achieve the same AVERAGE.. So again the methodology is all important.
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Replying to: ruking1 (Dec 12, 2008 9:58 am)
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