Virginia Passes Higher Speed Limit Despite Safety Risk
This summer, the speed limit on some of Virginia's rural roadways will go from 65 to 70 mph. The increase is meant to improve efficiency, but also may cause higher accident-fatality rates.
May 20, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Speed Limit Set to Increase to 70mph on Rural Roads
In February, the Virginia General Assembly voted to increase the speed limit on some of the state's rural highways from 65 to 70 miles per hour. The measure was proposed by Republican Gov. Bill McDonnell and sponsored by two Republican state representatives, Del. Bill Carrico (R-Galax) and Sen. Steve Newman (R-Lynchburg).
The Governor said that passing the bill was an important component of improving Virginia's transportation system because it would enable citizens to get to their destinations a "little quicker each day." Sen. Newman echoed the Governor's sentiments, saying that the speed limit increase would "help commuters get to their destinations more quickly and safely."
Even though the first speed limit increases are set to go into effect on July 1, 2010, it has not yet been revealed which roads will have their limits raised to 70 miles per hour, although sections of Highways 66 and 81 are expected to be included. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is tasked with this determination and currently is reviewing crash and speed data among other information to determine which roads would be best suited for the speed increase.
Increase Not Uniformly Endorsed
Although the speed limit increase received enough votes to become law, not everyone agrees with the Governor that the increase will help improve the state's transportation system or increase the safety of the traveling public. In fact, some believe that the opposite will hold true and the speed limit increase will correspond with more motor-vehicle accidents and fatalities on Virginia roadways.
For example, the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in February to oppose the speed limit increase. The Board listed several grounds for their opposition, including the safety risk involved in raising the speed limit, the administrative costs associated with changing the speed signs and the additional strain it would place on the police and emergency personnel.
The speed limit increase also has stirred up a political controversy in the state. In past years, the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Sherriff's Association opposed increasing the speed limit because of concerns that it would cause more car accidents.
However, this year the State Police actually came out in support of the measure, leading many to question why the agency suddenly had a change of heart. Some have said that the Governor's office instructed the agency to publicly endorse the bill, while others have hinted that the State Police wanted political favor from the Governor to protect its state funding.
Higher Speed Limits Linked to Higher Accident, Fatality Rates
Those in support of Virginia's speed limit increase may have been too quick to dismiss concerns that the five-mile-per-hour change would endanger public safety. Multiple reliable studies, including those conducted by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), have shown that an increase in speed limit impacts the rate of highway-related motor-vehicle accidents.
In a January 1999 report, the IIHS found that the number of deaths attributed to motor-vehicle accidents was 15 percent higher on roads in the 24 states that had increased their speed limits on rural and urban interstates.
Last July, the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois-Chicago released a study that showed more than 12,500 deaths and 36,500 injuries from 1995-2005 were attributable to the increase in speed limits on U.S. roadways since the repeal of the national speed limit in 1995. Moreover, the study found that the highest increase in injury and fatality rates occurred on rural roadways - 9.1 percent - despite the lower number of motorists using these roads.
The reason higher speed limits result in more severe injuries and higher fatality rates is a simple matter of physics. It requires more energy for a vehicle to travel at a faster speed. When a vehicle hits another, that energy is then transferred to the occupants of the car. The greater the amount of energy that is transferred to them, the greater the risk of sustaining catastrophic injury, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury or even death.
Additionally, drivers have less reaction time to prevent accidents when traveling at higher speeds. They also are more likely to lose control of their vehicles by oversteering, for example.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
While drivers can still suffer severe injuries in low-speed crashes, their risk of suffering life-threatening and life-changing injuries is greater in high-speed collisions.
If you have been involved in a motor-vehicle accident caused by another driver's negligence, a lawyer experienced in handling motor-vehicle accidents can help. Whether your crash was caused by a speeding, distracted or drunk driver, you may have the right to take legal action against the responsible driver for any injuries or losses you suffered. This may include medical expenses, lost wages and damage to your vehicle.
For more information on your legal options, contact an attorney experienced in handling auto-accident cases today.
Further Related Resources:
Press Release Contact Information:
Findlaw PR
