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From: jrt@hou5f.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: 55 saves lives
Message-ID: <290@hou5f.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-Jun-83 11:37:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou5f.290
Posted: Mon Jun 13 11:37:32 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 14-Jun-83 03:27:55 EDT
Lines: 34



		The 55Mph speedlimit did decrease the
    number of fatalities, way back when it was instituted.  As
    was pointed out by someone else, mainly because there were
    fewer PEOPLE out on the road to get killed.  The actual
    deaths per miles DRIVEN actually went UP.  

	POINT 2:  Driver fatigue is a bigger killer than 55mph
    over 70mph.  I used to be a service engineer, covering an
    entire state.  There was one trip that was 210 miles.  At
    70 mph.. It took me 3hrs to get there, 2hrs to fix the machine,
    and another 3hrs home.  All in all an 8hr day.  When the limit
    was lowered to 55, the three hour trip became 4, and my day
    was now a 10hr day...the last two hours of which were driving
    on the road in a fatigued condition.
	
	I didn't even have as long a haul as most truckers.  Those
    that had to go 2100 miles had that much longer to be on the road,
    and that much greater a chance of being in an accident.



	SUGGESTION: I won't argue about whether or not 55mph speed limit
    is useful/necessary/beneficial within city/corporate limits where
    there are large numbers of cars and intersections/exits.  I will
    however state that in between cities, where there is minimal traffic
    and mostly cows, that the 70mph speed limit would actually be beneficial
    to most people.  If the governments were to direct their energies at
    making sure that cars were properly TUNED, then they would save more
    gas than if they lowered the speed limit to 40mph.


			(** FLAMED - FRODO **)