Guilty of manslaughter, she was texting at 85mph in Prius

A more reasonable compromise of 65 across the board would be dismissed by everyone but would at least be livable and beneficial compared to what we have now.

 

i would be willing to compromise.

 

I'd be happy if everyone just stopped DUI and playing with their phone and driving...which has the same effect.

 

We tried the 'one size fits all' speed limit before, and despite the number of people poking glass, drinking, and camping out in the left lane we're actually safer on a per-mile basis now than we were then.

Texting....Drinking....Left lane abuse....all do share one common 100-percent effective solution.

Turn repeat offenders into pedestrians.

 

We are safer in spite of the abolition of the national 55 speed limit, not because of it.

Charts of auto fatality rates show a nearly continuous downward march since before WWII, as various safety measures improved. Rates dropped a little faster at the start of Double Nickles. But the improving trend took more than decade's hiatus when 55 was being progressively relaxed then abolished, which was also about the same time as the great consumer migration into SUVs. Only after those transitions had settled did the long term downward march in traffic fatalities resume its normal pace.

The first six months of this year show a reversal, as traffic deaths spiked. To be continued ...

 

^I'll submit that in certain parts of the country, a 55MPH limit makes driving safer.
However (comma!) MOST of the country is rather sparsely populated, and interstates highways in those areas can support higher speed limits. People that live in fly-over country should not be punished because they won't spend money on drivers ed in other parts of the nation.

In fact.....a 10-mph national speed limit would be REALLY safe....until people started running out of food, water, and gas in the overpopulated coastal areas.

There are certain national laws that make sense.
Some urbanite SWAGGING a "safe" (read: PC) national speed limit isn't one of these.

Perhaps a national standard driving test with mandatory pentannual retesting woud be more appropriate.

 

^ I'm not one of the voices advocating for a uniform national speed limit. Just making sure no one is still confused into believing that today's higher speed limits make the roads safer, as numerous folks have previously rationalized.

I came from a very rural area that lacked interstates and high speed limits. The highest speed drivers, who also complained the loudest about speeding tickets, where heavily biases towards out-of-state urban zones.

 

Copy that.

 

I've had folks complain when I tell them I didnt answer the phone while I was driving. So I just say next time I'll answer... when I am in the truck, and you get to listen to every noise a 26 year old 4x4 makes.

 

Bottom line. Most drivers will go as fast as they can get away with. Most officers won't pull drivers over until they are about 10 over the speed limit. If we had a national 55 limit I think many drivers would still go 70.

I just keep up with the flow, not the fastest and not the slowest. If I can drive behind a large truck driving slower I will follow if it's safe to do so.

I haven't used it much, but I like my blue tooth hands free phone option in my Prius. Though, it's said that people are distracted even 5 minutes after a phone call is complete. So, while a hands free blue tooth phone call can be safer, it's still not as safe as not talking at all while driving.

 

But drivers need to remember that this 'grace speed' varies sharply by region and conditions. I grew up in, and still frequently visit. a place where 5 over means a ticket, if an officer is on duty. And it is by no means unique.