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Speed limits
Speed limits are regulated by individual states. However, during the mid-1970s, Congress imposed a speed limit of 55 mph to conserve energy. They even threatened to hold highway funds of those states that violated the limit. Eventually, this rule loosened up. After that, states continued to increase speed limits, particularly on rural areas or limited-access roads.
Dividing the house
In New Hampshire, the government agreed to raise the speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph only on specified roads. On the other hand, the North Carolina house rejected a Senate-approved bill that otherwise would have raised the speed limit to 75 mph. Not everyone was pleased about increasing the speed limits. Spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Russ Rader, believed that deaths would go up when speed limits increased. He also believed that deaths would decrease when speed limits went down. Utah Department of Transportation Director of Traffic and Safety, Robert Hull, said that people are driving at the speed at which they feel comfortable, and they are doing it safely and prudently.
Related: Road Safety Tips For Drivers And Motorcyclists
Staying within the speed limit
Over 220 lives are stolen each year due to crashes that involve speeding. Why should you stay within the speed limit? Here are a few reasons why you should:
- Reduces risk of committing violations. Drivers who are going faster than the speed limit are more likely to commit to other driving violations.
- Avoiding injuries. Motorists who don’t observe the speed limit have more chances of getting involved in crashes. It also poses more danger as driving at higher speeds increases the impact of a collision. Therefore causing more serious injuries to victims. Also, inappropriate speed may cause drivers to commit more errors such as driving too close to another vehicle.
- Protecting pedestrians. Staying within the speed limit does not only mean following the rules, it also means you are concerned about the safety of pedestrians. Driving at high speeds may cause injuries or worse, death.
- Less time to react. The faster a driver travels, the less time they have to react. It requires more time for vehicles to stop.
As a Kentucky Accident Attorney, I would like to remind motorists to be aware of the speed limits on the road. You will reach your destination whether you drive slow or fast. So, there’s no need to hurry. Stay within the speed limit and help reduce speeding-related accidents.