Saving time on the road is a priority of drivers, but it may come at a dangerous cost. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and Humanetics, small increases in speed can lead to a higher number of crashes.
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After evaluating crashes occurring at three different impact speeds — 40, 50, and 56 miles per hour — they determined that the risk of severe injury or death went up at the higher speed limits.
“Drivers often travel faster than posted speed limits, but when officials raise limits to match travel speeds, people still go faster,” report the organizations.
With many states boasting speed limits from 70 to 80 mph and above, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Humanetics, and the IIHS are concerned that a quicker drive doesn’t outweigh the possible danger.
In 2019, the IIHS published a study that determined rising speed limits over the past 25 years resulted in the deaths of 37,000 people.
“Higher speed limits cancel out the benefits of vehicle safety improvements like airbags and improved structural designs,” said Dr. David Harkey, IIHS president. “The faster a driver is going before a crash, the less likely it is that they’ll be able to get down to a survivable speed even if they have a chance to brake before impact.”
During the testing, the crash test dummy recorded fractures in the long bones of the lower leg and neck injuries after crashing at 56 mph.
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“Rather than raising speed limits, states should vigorously enforce the limits they have. This includes using proven countermeasures like high-visibility enforcement and carefully implemented speed-camera programs to consistently and equitable enforce speed limits 24/7,” according to Harkey.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.
