Higher speed limits in U.S. experiment a success

[duglet]

Thought the following article might generate a bit of discussion. It seems even the US is adopting a common sense approach to speed limits. Pity Australia can't do the same.

Not advocating reckless driving but some of the roads could easily have a higher limit that 110kph. The 80mph limit is about 130kph which in modern cars and on good stretches of highway would not be dangerous.

Here's the article -

According to TheNewspaper, the Utah Department of Transportation, which raised speed limits to 80 miles per hour on certain stretches of I-15, reported no downside to the experimental increase.

The UDOT selected stretches of road to increase the speed limit by five miles per hour based on crash histories. After watching and evaluating these roads, they discovered very little increase in actual speed.

“With the speed limit posted at 75 MPH, 85th percentile speeds measured between 81 and 85 MPH -- barely different from the 83 to 85 MPH speeds under the higher 80 MPH limit. The 85th percentile speed represents the speed at which 85 percent of free-flowing traffic feels is the safest. Engineers have determined that the greatest safety can be achieved when speed limits match the 85th percentile speed.”

So far, the UDOT is declaring the experiment a success, and will continue to monitor the interstate, meanwhile evaluating the future of other roads.

We are also pleased by this news, and hope to see this program expand to other parts of the country that could benefit from such experiments.

Happy Motoring
duglet

[TheJunglist]

bring it here!!!!! highly doubt it though.

[shakespeare]

Interesting debate this one. Have read reports from the NT, that after they instigated the 110kph limit there was an increase in fatigue related crashes. Some have advocated that higher speeds on long open roads increase concentration levels thereby reducing the likelihood of fatigue related crashes.

Personally I've driven some very long stretches of roads in WA and 110kph can become very tedious after a while, but the extra 20-30kph does make you more alert and will also reduce a 1000km trip by over 2 hours!

[CharlieBrown]

The debate will always continue.

Notwithstanding the fact that the speed limit has been 100 for however many years (can anyone say advise how long the 100km/hr limit has been imposed on highways??)

With advancements in car safety, ABS, EBD, suspension advancements, power, SRS, etc, we are still driving at the same limits as the cars of yesteryear.

For example, the advancements in technology and safety of a MPS would be significantly more than a 1978 Holden Kingswood.

[Crusher_13]

Good in theory, and I agree 110 is a walk in the park.

But... So many of Ausralia's main motorways/highways have some really disgusting sections. Between Canberra and Sydney for the most part 130 - 140 would be fairly safe, but just near the services at Marulan the road is potholed, and very unsafe even at 110.

The other problem is people in Australia don't know proper lane ettiqute. They are constantly cutting you off. This creates more issues when speed is increased. You constantly see it. Someone wants to overtake a truck, so they change lanes right infront of you so you have to slow down, if you are not paying attention...

[tricache]

They can up the speed limit when they get rid of that stupid concrete instead of actual road!!!

[shakespeare]

They can up the speed limit when they get rid of that stupid concrete instead of actual road!!!

We're lucky here, no concrete roads for us, just sweet black bitumenised tarmac, though on some sections is very course chip and can be quite noisy.

[tricache]

Yeah I noticed that when I was over in WA last, some very course roads in some areas (then again I was driving around Armidale I wouldn't really want to drive there anyway)

I still love a fresh new road just after its been laid....mmmmmmm smooooooooth.

[Nirvandan]

All we are getting here is roadworks and speeds down to 40kph.

[bd581]

I read a simular thing in a mercedes enthusiest magazine, they basically say the same.
With all the modern technology and safety in cars it makes no sence that in many places in the world speed limits are being decreased.

However, on major highways i see that speeds could be increased safely, but at 110km/h limits, most people do 10km/h over as it is, bump it to 130km/h they will do 140.

Before any of that happens, roads MUST be improved first. And living in country NSW i think more overtaking lanes should be made. So instead of being caught behind somebody doing 20kays under or up and down speed causing you to get annoyed and do something unsafe to get past, you can just be patient for a couple of minutes knowing that you can safely get past soon