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Should US national speed limits revert back to 55 miles per hour?
Results so far:
| No | 71% | 417 votes | Total: 591 votes | |
| Yes | 29% | 174 votes |
No
by Anthony Megna
Created on: August 25, 2008 Last Updated: August 13, 2010
A majority of people just won't drive 55! Just like the song, when there is an open highway, and even when there is traffic, driving 55 is ancient history. It didn't work well in the 70's, and it certainly won't work well now. Cars are built better, they can travel faster with smooth operations, and roads are better equipped to handle higher speeds.
Some in congress are proposing to revert back to 55 to save energy, and I believe this is the wrong way to go. There are better ways to save energy than this antiquated method of driving. Concentrate on better gas mileage, better fuels and electric or hybrid vehicles and we can ween ourselves off of imported oil. We have to do this now, not some hazy time in the future, but now. To force people to drive slower smacks of big brother, besides we have enough laws already. In fact, we can't enforce the laws we already have adequately now.
Lowering the national speed limit to 55 will cause more traffic accidents than prevent them. Don't believe this? Well, first off, most people will not travel 55. That is a fact. The next time you are on the freeway, drive the posted speed limit. See how many people pass you and you will be amazed. If you think speeds posted at 55 on major highways will help, think again. They won't even drive the 65, let alone 55. But there will be people who attempt to do so. That is where the problem lies. It is a fact that the difference between high and low speeds cause accidents. The roads will become a killing field.
Better driver education, more enforcement of drinking and driving, and safer vehicles and roads all help to counter road fatalities. Also, energy consumption has gotten better and better with safer and lighter vehicles. Better design such as stronger brakes and body frames countering impacts coupled with airbags have helped reduce accidents and have kept people safer. Speed in itself is not the problem, differing speeds are. If we lower the speed limits, our accident rate will go up, not down.
It is foolish and shortsighted on some people in congress to revert back to driving 55 miles per hour. Do everything you can to stop this movement, because it has disaster written all over it. If your lawmakers are pushing this insane measure, call them and have it stopped. Email them, tell everyone you know that you disagree with this measure and spread the word. It has to be nipped in the bud in the beginning so it doesn't have a chance to spread. It is a dangerous proposal.
Right now, states have the right to set their own speed limits and it should stay that way. Each state knows it's own roads and people better than the government and that is the first step to a smoother and safer transportation system. Let's keep it this way.
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Yes
by Joe Symmes
Created on: October 20, 2008
US national speed limits should revert back to 55mph. This change is a highly effective method for increasing the efficiency of all cars on the road while costing very little to implement. Developing automobile technology may eventually help rid us of our compelling need for oil however; lowering speed limits can have a dramatic impact on fuel savings immediately.
INCREASE D SAFETY
Physics dictates that slower moving vehicles will carry less force on impact during a crash. Less impact force means less energy that vehicles will need to dissipate or redirect to keep occupants safe. However the proportion of safety we gain is not directly related to our highway speed limits. In Europe for example, highway speeds average much higher than in the US, yet percentage wise, they are safer drivers. Numerous factors contribute to this statistic though as the roads, cars, and licensing requirements are each drastically different from the United States.
MORE EFFICIENT
As speed increases so must the amount of power to overcome the increased resistance. This is not a linear relationship however. The average car needs roughly 65% more power to drive at 65 mph rather than 55 mph[i]. As the speed difference increases, the power required shoots through the roof. In the scenario above, the car needs approximately 105% more power to travel at 70 mph rather than 55 mph. This shows that it takes less than half as much power to drive your car at 55 mph vice 70 mph.
LOW IMPLEMENTATION COST
The real beauty of changing our national speed limits is that it is a quick and almost cost free initiative. For the price of a robust advertising campaign, and replacing several thousand road signs, this program can be implemented. The return on investment will begin occurring almost immediately as both highly efficient automobiles and gas guzzlers alike can all save due to the physics of decreased resistance.
UNIVERSALLY BENEFICIAL
New vehicle efficiency research will continue to help us develop more cost effective transportation but even those technological wonders will benefit from the reduced speed limits. Diesel, gasoline electric hybrids, even fuel cell vehicles will all enjoy even higher efficiencies than are currently projected. This is in addition to the reduced environmental impact of consuming so much less energy!
MINIMAL TIME COST
Lowering the national speed limit does not come without a cost however. Reduced speeds will increase travel time. Slowing from 65 mph to 55 mph will take roughly 36 minutes longer on the 215 mile transit from Boston to New York for example. As fuel prices keep rising however, the time savings of driving at higher speeds come at a higher and higher cost. While there is a value to be placed on our time, given sky rocking fuel prices, you have to ask yourself, how much is my 36 minutes worth?
Reducing our nation's highway speeds not only keeps more money in consumer's pockets, but also marginally increases highway safety while reducing our oil decency. The speed limit reduction program will therefore cost very little to implement, yet save consumers money, reduce environmental impacts, and oil decency all for the relatively low cost of a little extra travel time.
[i]http://www.a ssociatedcontent.com /article/330356/how_ much_power_your_car_ needs_at_65.html?cat =27
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