Don't raise the Beehive State's speed limit
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1 comment [ View ]By J. RONALD GALLI
Guest commentary
I am deeply troubled by what I perceive as an erosion of some of our safety and protection laws, especially relating to the proposed law -- House Bill 406 -- that would allow raising the speed limit beyond 75 mph on certain sections of our state's highway system. As a physicist, I study and teach about the laws of motion, and I feel that the higher proposed limit -- for example, 80 mph -- is too high for several reasons:
* The faster we travel, the greater the distance needed for stopping. Therefore, there is a greater chance for collision or other disasters at these higher speeds. At 80 mph, the stopping distance needed, which is proportional to the kinetic energy, is more than four times what is needed at 40 mph. And at 85 mph, the stopping distance needed is more than twice what is needed at 60 mph.
* We all know that when a collision occurs we hit harder when we are moving faster. What is not commonly known, however, is that the energy-causing damage is four times as great at only twice the speed.
* I closely followed the statistics during the oil crisis of the 1970s. There was a significant decrease in highway fatalities when the national speed limit was suddenly reduced from 65 mph to 55 mph. It follows that the death rates from accidents where speed is a primary factor would likely increase if we raise the limit. In recent years, people are killed on the highways in Utah at the rate of almost one per day (285 fatalities in 2007)! In the entire United States, the rate is about 40,000 per year. It is calculated, therefore, that about one in 100 of us will die from injuries sustained on the highways. And for everyone killed, several others are critically maimed. Higher speeds would only add to these statistics.
* Scientists and engineers know that significantly more fuel is consumed at even slightly higher speeds. The increased fuel consumption that would follow higher speeds would come at a time when the need to conserve fuel and reduce emissions is critically urgent.
* If the speed limit is 80 mph, most people will drive faster than that, and the law probably would not be enforced below 85 mph. The "creep" from 80 mph to 85 or 90 mph is far, far too fast. Additionally, drivers will likely carry over these higher speeds onto some of the urban freeways along the more populous Wasatch Front.
* The next generation of drivers would take it for granted that our lawmakers would not pass an unsafe law. Those 16-year-old drivers might likely assume that 80-85 mph is safe, not only on the special high-speed sections of the Southern Utah freeway, but on other roads as well.
We all have a tendency to become complacent about safety and assume that "it will not happen to me because I am a careful, safe driver." But what about when we slip up, just a little bit? At those speeds, it could be disastrous. Or what if the other driver next to us or in front of us slips up just a little bit?
Think about driving that fast and suddenly encountering an unexpected obstacle in the road, such as a deer or a large piece of lumber that has fallen from a truck. Think of suddenly encountering a thick fogbank as you come over a hill, black ice on an overpass or on a curve at 85 mph. Think of the car next to you suddenly changing lanes unexpectedly or a semi tailgating at 80 mph.
Utah is one of only 13 states in the country with a maximum speed limit of above 70 mph. If anything, let's get back to a lower speed limit of 70 mph, not raise it to 80 mph, and then enforce it so that driving can become safer and more enjoyable.
The few minutes saved by driving faster are not worth the heartache, suffering and expense that come from a potentially greater number of fatal accidents and a higher level of trauma and property damage.
Over the roughly 100 years of driving automobiles, our safety records have improved significantly. This is due mainly to improvements in our highways and automobile design. It is not reasonable to assume that safety improves with increased speed, as some would have us believe.
Thanks to all the legislators for the good work they do. Don't make a major mistake by passing a law that could open the door for unsafe speed limits.
Galli is a professor in Weber State University's Department of Physics.
I appreciate your opinion, but must disagree with the point of view that the speed limit should stay the same or be lowered. An increase of five mph through central Utah is quite safe and may even prove safer than not increasing the limit. Studies have shown that generally speed limits set at the 85th percentile of free flowing traffic are the most safe. When limits are properly posted, the vast majority of drivers will respect them and therefore making the road safer. In addition, travelling at a reasonable speed for conditions (80 is reasonable from Cedar City to Nephi) reduces driver fatigue and inattention. To make an extreme point...imagine the insane fatigue of driving a rural speed limit at 55 mph. Driving slower than reasonable is not safer. Driving safe means paying attention while driving, leaving proper following distance, ect., not driving at a lower than proper speed simply because a numeric sign requires. The legislature is correct if they raise the limit from 75 to 80 on this stretch of road. Let's do what common sense and the majority of motorists want and raise the limit. Lets NOT do what the insurance industry and some local police departments want and have a lower speed limit to be used as a fundraiser. If you want great information on proper driver-friendly issues, feel free to contact National Motorists Association at motorists.org. I am just one of the proud drivers to be part of that fine organization.