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Calls for lower speed limits in the U.S. spreading, but will it work?

Calls for lower speed limits in the U.S. spreading, but will it work?

Nelson Ireson July 4th, 2008 Nelson Ireson By Nelson Ireson Author July 4th, 2008
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December 31st, 1969 Earlier this week Michigan's governor Jennifer Granholm called for a lower speed limit, though she neglected to offer a new target, and yesterday Virginia Senator John Warner renewed the call for 55mph speed limits. It wouldn't be the first time lower speed limits were imposed in an attempt to save fuel during an energy crunch, but it's still not clear that the lower speed limits actually achieve their stated goals. In 1974 the U.S. set a national speed limit of 60mph, a policy which lasted until 1995. The price of oil had a large role in the institution and eventual repeal of the policy, but some advocates also played up the safety angle of the move. The problem with reducing speed limits is that reality and theory do not align well. Warner cites studies that show as much as 2% of U.S. fuel consumption per day could be saved with a 55mph speed limit. It's true that fuel consumption for most cars falls of significantly above 60mph, and it's also true that lower speeds usually result in less severe crashes. But lowering the speed limit presupposes people will actually drive slower, and historically, this has not been the case. According to a U.S. NHTSA study from 1992, during the height of the last 60mph national limit period, neither raising nor lowering the speed limit had any significant effect on the speed of traffic. In fact the only significant change noted by the study was the increase in speeding tickets issued when the speed limit fell too low.
Calls for lower speed limits in the U.S. spreading, but will it work?

Calls for lower speed limits in the U.S. spreading, but will it work?

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Earlier this week Michigan's governor Jennifer Granholm called for a lower speed limit, though she neglected to offer a new target, and yesterday Virginia Senator John Warner renewed the call for 55mph speed limits.

It wouldn't be the first time lower speed limits were imposed in an attempt to save fuel during an energy crunch, but it's still not clear that the lower speed limits actually achieve their stated goals.

In 1974 the U.S. set a national speed limit of 60mph, a policy which lasted until 1995. The price of oil had a large role in the institution and eventual repeal of the policy, but some advocates also played up the safety angle of the move. The problem with reducing speed limits is that reality and theory do not align well.

Warner cites studies that show as much as 2% of U.S. fuel consumption per day could be saved with a 55mph speed limit. It's true that fuel consumption for most cars falls of significantly above 60mph, and it's also true that lower speeds usually result in less severe crashes. But lowering the speed limit presupposes people will actually drive slower, and historically, this has not been the case.

According to a U.S. NHTSA study from 1992, during the height of the last 60mph national limit period, neither raising nor lowering the speed limit had any significant effect on the speed of traffic. In fact the only significant change noted by the study was the increase in speeding tickets issued when the speed limit fell too low.

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Comments (9 total)

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  1. By PJE #1, Posted: 7/4/2008

    Correction - Jennifer Granholm did not propose the 55 limit, someone in the state legislator proposed it and she gave the standard 'it's worth looking in to' response.

    Having lived near Detroit for 10 years I can not see anyone keeping to the 55 limit, and it would be political suicide to pass a 55 limit.

  2. By PJE #2, Posted: 7/4/2008

    I found this at www.wzzm13.com...

    Gov. Jennifer Granholm didn't embrace or rule out the notion Wednesday. A fellow Democrat, state Rep. Aldo Vagnozzi of Farmington Hills, introduced a resolution calling on Congress to reinstitute the national 55-m.p.h. speed limit implemented during the 1970s oil crisis.

    I don't know where all the car sites picked up the false information

  3. By Nelson #3, Posted: 7/4/2008

    If you read the article above, it does not say Granholm proposed the 55mph speed limit. It actually says she called for a change, or joined the call, and specifically notes that she did not advocate a particular limit.

    It was the Virginia Senator that called for the 55mph speed limit, and that too is made clear.

    Thanks for the effort though.

  4. By Sissypants #4, Posted: 7/4/2008

    Congress is always reviving bad ideas that have been proven foolish by history. It's amazing that this bad idea, however, is barely a decade in the grave, and is revived by a senator who saw its failure from beginning to end. A year ago this Virginian was sad to hear John Warner was retiring. After the global warming bill and this steamer, good riddance.

  5. By HECTOR #5, Posted: 7/5/2008

    Lower speed limits will only have one effect: more speeding tickets, more revenue for the towns. Period. F***ing politicians...

  6. By Rgb2cmyk #6, Posted: 7/5/2008

    I think it would be a better use of money as PSAs to instill in people the benefits of driving slower (i.e. the money they will save), and let them make the decision to save their own wallet. Making it a law and forcing people, while that just isn't what I expect of a 'free' country.

  7. By vb #7, Posted: 7/5/2008

    It's pretty funny if you compare this to the situation in Germany.
    We pay twice the fuel price you do over there in the US. Still most people are strictly against a possible speed limit of 130km/h (~80mph) which was discussed by politicians last year. One big factor is the car-manufacturer-lobby of course. Mercedes, Audi and BMW would do everything to prevent a nationwide speed limit. No German would buy a BMW 7 series if he wasn't allowed to drive faster than 55mph (even 100mph probably wouldn't be enough ;)).

  8. By Gus #8, Posted: 7/5/2008

    True, and the Germans also have a lower death per mile rate.
    I loved driving on the Autobahn, people actually knew what they were doing, most of the time...
    Laws, laws, and more laws to protect us from ourselves. This is why I hate left wing liberals, and right wing zealots with equal passion.

  9. By Jim #9, Posted: 7/6/2008

    "I don’t know where all the car sites picked up the false information"

    Probably from the Michigan Republican Party

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