Speed Limits Effects on Severity of Car Accidents

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding is in the top 5 causes for U.S. car accidents each year. The average speed limit on interstates across the country is 70 miles per hour. Speeding and impatiences lead to drivers going over 80 mph on any given day all across the country. Currently, Texas has the highest average interstate mph at 78.3 according to an article on weather.com. Texas also holds the record for the highest speed limit at 85 mph on certain toll roads. With each speed limit, there are certain requirements a road must meet before it can accommodate such high speeds, as per structural engineers.

Risks Associated with Higher Speed Limits

A new study completed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that the higher a speed limit is, the more likely a crash will be deadly. The study cited that in 2013, 1900 deaths were attributed to higher speed limits, whereas there wouldn’t have been as much risk if the speed limit was lowered. This study concluded that the number of deaths attributed to higher speed limits cancels out the number of lives saved by airbags in 2013.

Progression of Speed Limits

In the past highways were associated with the term “Drive 55” for most highways. These days most highways range from 70 to 75 across the country. As states increase speed limits, such as Texas increasing some roads to 85, neighboring states will start to follow the trend if there isn’t a significant safety concern. State governments are increasingly trying to have faster and faster highways so that people can get to their destination more efficiently. Local governments have started to propose votes to decrease speed limits to increase safety conditions for all travelers. New York, Malibu, and Santa Monica are among those who have lowered their particular city’s speed limit.

Contact Us

If you have been injured as the result of a speeding driver, the Houston car accident lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers are here to speak to you. They have dedicated their careers to fighting for victims of car accidents.