Re: Another Tragedy on Highway 95

[Duncan Palmatier <dpalm@earthlink.net>]

Although it may be counter intuitive, setting speed limits to match the
speeds at which motorists actually travel establishes the safest
condition, under most circumstances. Studies show that dangerous
conditions are created when motorists' speeds vary; that is, some are
going 55 mph and others 70 mph. It has been found to be safer to have
everyone travelling at near the same speed, even if it is a higher
speed. This is an explanation for the decrease in accidents and
fatalities after the national 55 mph speed limit was abolished. Thus,
even states that strongly favored the 55 mph limit did away with it,
since it made their roads less safe.

Duncan Palmatier

G M wrote:

> --- Dan Schmidt <schmidt6@Turbonet.com> wrote: (snip)
> > Dave, I was interested to find out the thinking
> > behind posting speed limits
> > on city streets. The city engineer explained that
> > streets are monitored and
> > the posted limit is supposed to be what 80% of the
> > vehicles traveling that
> > route hit. Unless there is a strong safety issue
> > that is the method for
> > city streets.Leadership by consensus.
> ****************
>
> I find this alarming, a bit like the formula used to
> raise speed limits on our nation's highways - "we're
> raising them because motorists are driving faster than
> the current speed limit (i.e. breaking the law)..."
>
> Is it really true that speed limits within the city
> are established based on how fast vehicles are moving
> as opposed to what a safe speed would be?  And what
> consitutes a "strong" safety issue?
>
> Greg Meyer
>
> =====
>
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