What is the Speed Limit?
Drivers are aware of the consequences associated with exceeding the legal speed limit, such as the likelihood of an accident, danger of personal injury and the financial burden of getting that dreaded traffic citation. Until 1973, speed limits were imposed independently by each state, with no federal intervention. Nationally enforced speed limits originated in 1973 in response to an oil embargo against the U.S. which caused an oil shortage and resulted in a sharp rise in oil prices. Ensuring compliance by threatening to withhold federal funding from non complying states, Congress instituted a nationwide 55 mile per hour maximum speed limit.
Despite the speed limit’s original intention of reducing fuel consumption, government officials and the general public alike became conscious of its implications beyond fuel usage. The findings of numerous studies began to reveal the inherent safety implications of the imposed speed limit, most notably that the risk of death or serious injury in a car accident increased with speed.
Implementation of the national speed limit, however, was not met without resistance from affected American drivers. Common arguments declared that undue restrictions were being placed on citizens’ individual rights, and that the new law arbitrarily designated many Americans as law breaking citizens. Additionally, drivers argued that many highways had been designed to accommodate speeds greater than 55 miles per hour. As a result, in 1987 Congress passed an amendment to the law that allowed states to raise rural interstate speed limits to 65 miles per hour. It was not until 1995, with approval from President Bill Clinton, that legislation returned the authority of determining speed limits to the states and eradicated the national speed limit.
Though there is still a need to preserve oil as a natural resource, today’s speed limits are imposed with motorist safety being of utmost concern. Some dynamics which are considered in determining the speed limit for a given stretch of road are road conditions such as hills and surface curvature, access sites such as intersections and onramps, traffic volume, visibility distance, history of accidents and the findings from extensive field testing.
The fact that maintaining speeds at or below posted speed limits reduces the chance of death or injury in an accident bears repeating. Drivers should also consider factors besides the speed limit when determining a safe speed at which to drive, such as the external environment and traffic conditions. The presence of rain, snow and ice pose significant hazards to drivers and warrant a much lower speed than dry roads for adequate vehicle control. Likewise, extremely dense traffic typically requires slower speeds for one’s own safety and that of other motorists.
About the Author: Greg Chapman, of Greg Chapman Motors, is a leading used car dealer Austin has depended on since 1959. For more information please visit Greg Chapman Motors.
Despite the speed limit’s original intention of reducing fuel consumption, government officials and the general public alike became conscious of its implications beyond fuel usage. The findings of numerous studies began to reveal the inherent safety implications of the imposed speed limit, most notably that the risk of death or serious injury in a car accident increased with speed.
Implementation of the national speed limit, however, was not met without resistance from affected American drivers. Common arguments declared that undue restrictions were being placed on citizens’ individual rights, and that the new law arbitrarily designated many Americans as law breaking citizens. Additionally, drivers argued that many highways had been designed to accommodate speeds greater than 55 miles per hour. As a result, in 1987 Congress passed an amendment to the law that allowed states to raise rural interstate speed limits to 65 miles per hour. It was not until 1995, with approval from President Bill Clinton, that legislation returned the authority of determining speed limits to the states and eradicated the national speed limit.
Though there is still a need to preserve oil as a natural resource, today’s speed limits are imposed with motorist safety being of utmost concern. Some dynamics which are considered in determining the speed limit for a given stretch of road are road conditions such as hills and surface curvature, access sites such as intersections and onramps, traffic volume, visibility distance, history of accidents and the findings from extensive field testing.
The fact that maintaining speeds at or below posted speed limits reduces the chance of death or injury in an accident bears repeating. Drivers should also consider factors besides the speed limit when determining a safe speed at which to drive, such as the external environment and traffic conditions. The presence of rain, snow and ice pose significant hazards to drivers and warrant a much lower speed than dry roads for adequate vehicle control. Likewise, extremely dense traffic typically requires slower speeds for one’s own safety and that of other motorists.
About the Author: Greg Chapman, of Greg Chapman Motors, is a leading used car dealer Austin has depended on since 1959. For more information please visit Greg Chapman Motors.
posted by Greg Chapman at
12:31 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home