undation for Traffic Safety found otherwise. Their reports show that there was an increase in the nation's fatalities but the states that chose to increase their speed experienced a 3.5 % less of a fatality increase. (Shemmens) Recently, The United States Department of transportation has done a study that will disprove the notion that fatalities vary with speed even further. When Congress repealed the NMLS law on December 8, 1995, many critics immediately claimed that more fatalities would result. Ralph Nader and various other critics estimated that passing the bill would cause at least 6400 more deaths than when the speed limit was set at 55 miles per hour nationally (Shemmens). Although the actual result was an increase in deaths, the increase was marginal compared to estimates. The actual death increase was only 109 lives. The human lives lost are valuable but it is important to note the actual deaths per-one hundred million miles had decrease for 1995 to 1996. The percentage of miles traveled was up 1.7 percent while fatalities only increased 0.3 percent for the year (Johnson). After the new speed limits were placed on the 26 different states which decided to increase their speed limits, there was a surprising change. Out of the 26 states over half of them observed an increase in fatalities per one hundred million miles. Although, this is not the factor that has stunned many. The fact that the total death rate is down from 24,911 people in 1995 to 24,855 in 1996 is of much more importance. Some of the most notable decreases in fatalities include Mississippi - down 21percent, and Montana -down 10 percent. (Chaser) Montana is a wonderful example not only because of its decrease in fatalities but because of its unique situation. Montana is presently the only state where there is no daytime speed limit on the highways. California is also experiencing records with its lowest fatality rate since 1959. The average deaths per a year in Cali...
