WHAT does the Patrol ALWAYS “forget” to mention? First, 70-mph rural interstates only account for 5% of Ohio’s traffic deaths, and have the LOWEST fatality rate among rural roads. Posting reasonable speed limits lets officers focus on dangerous locations and behaviors instead of just playing (speedo)meter-readers on the safest roads.
Second, the 65 and 70 mph speed limit have been long studied. For example in Ohio “fatal accident rates on rural Interstate highways [are] not significantly changed after the implementation of the 65-mph speed limit”. In Indiana the researcher said “If going from 65 to 70 doesn’t have a significant effect on the severity of accidents, you have to ask yourself, what about 70 to 75?”
Observant motorists know why interstates are remarkably safer — they dramatically reduce the common causes of crashes: crossover conflicts at intersections, head-on crashes with opposing traffic in the next lane, and roadside hazards like trees, telephone poles, and sheer drop-offs.
That’s why we build interstates: the “triple win” of improved safety, travel times, and fuel efficiency due to minimizing causes of crashes and delays. Reasonable speed limit encourage use of the best and safest roads.
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WHAT does the Patrol ALWAYS “forget” to mention? First, 70-mph rural interstates only account for 5% of Ohio’s traffic deaths, and have the LOWEST fatality rate among rural roads. Posting reasonable speed limits lets officers focus on dangerous locations and behaviors instead of just playing (speedo)meter-readers on the safest roads.
Second, the 65 and 70 mph speed limit have been long studied. For example in Ohio “fatal accident rates on rural Interstate highways [are] not significantly changed after the implementation of the 65-mph speed limit”. In Indiana the researcher said “If going from 65 to 70 doesn’t have a significant effect on the severity of accidents, you have to ask yourself, what about 70 to 75?”
Observant motorists know why interstates are remarkably safer — they dramatically reduce the common causes of crashes: crossover conflicts at intersections, head-on crashes with opposing traffic in the next lane, and roadside hazards like trees, telephone poles, and sheer drop-offs.
That’s why we build interstates: the “triple win” of improved safety, travel times, and fuel efficiency due to minimizing causes of crashes and delays. Reasonable speed limit encourage use of the best and safest roads.