Turnpike Raises Speed Limit--Should All Of Ohio Highways Follow?
The Ohio Turnpike commission raised the speed limit on the turnpike to 70 mph last year, and a state representative wants to pass legislation that would raise the speed limits on all of Ohio's interstate highways.

February 01, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Ohio Turnpike commission raised the speed limit on the turnpike to 70 mph in 2010. Now, Rep. Ron Maag has introduced legislation in the General Assembly that would increase the speed limit on all of Ohio's interstate highway system.

Rep. Maag is quoted in Cincinnati.com as saying, "To be consistent , the other interstates should be 70." He noted that neighboring states already have 70 mph speed limits on their interstates.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Concerns

A spokeswoman for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Lt. Anne Ralston, noted their concern over raising the speed limits due to its negative effect on traffic safety. Rep. Maag countered that the data for last year indicates that while there was a 38 percent increase in crashes and a 26 percent increase in injuries, there was a decrease in fatalities.

However, the statistics were based on a partial year survey, so it is unclear if the numbers are very meaningful. A longer period, with a larger data set, would provide guidance that is more valuable. A nationwide study done after the repeal of the 55 mph speed limit found an average 3 percent increase in fatal vehicle accidents on the nation's interstate highways, with a 9 percent increase on rural interstate highways.

There's Always A Cost

Russ Rader, from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), noted, "Increasing the speed limit gets people to their destination faster, but it's not free. There's always a cost." That price translates into car accidents that cause more severe injures to occupants and greater amounts of damage to vehicles.

Simple Physics

Rader noted that people tend to drive five to 10 mph over the speed limit, which further increases the speed and danger posed by accidents. The faster an object moves the more force it has when it strikes another object. A vehicle travelling at 75 mph, five mph over the purposed new speed limit increases the force in an accident by 27 percent, making catastrophic injuries more likely.

Crash test ratings are based on 35 to 40 mph, not 70 mph, so crashes at higher speeds become less and less survivable.

Fuel Costs

Another cost to higher speed limits is decreased vehicle mileage, meaning higher fuel costs. The U.S. Department of Energy indicates that a 70-mph vehicle is 17 percent less efficient than one at 55 mph. Surprisingly, when the Ohio Turnpike Commission voted on increasing the turnpike speed limit, the Ohio Trucking Association opposed the increase.

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