hat individuals drive at what speed seems safe to them. In 1995, before the state had a speed increase, approximately only 8.0% of drivers were found to be obeying the speed limit. In 1996 when the speed limit was increased 35.1% of drivers obeyed the speed laws (Shemmens). This 310% change shows that people will continue to drive at their own pace. But it is important to keep in mind the other 64.9 drivers who feel that it is safe to drive at a higher speed. Increasing speed limits on highways would allow those who drive at a higher speed without a ticket. The largest study done by our own government further encourages this theory. The United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration performed a study of 22 states and over 100 sites before and after speed limits were altered. The study involved a long-term approach on 14 of the sites. The study found that lowering the speed limit as much as 20 miles per hour and increasing it as much as 15 miles per hour has little effect on speed. The findings were also that when the speed limit is below the 50 percentile, that is 50 out of 100 driver's speed's, it did not decrease the speed of individuals or decrease accidents but it did increase the number of speeding violations (Shemmens). The problems caused by speed limits on the highways can not only be solved by looking at the many misconceptions that people have about speed but by looking at the many advantages of no speed limits on highways. The advantages of abolishing speed limits on highways have rarely been noticed. Advocates of the mandatory national speed limit in 1974 not only claimed that a speed limit of 55 miles per hour would save lives but that it would also help to cut pollution 1%. It is true that when cars run faster they burn fuel quicker and end up polluting faster. However it is important to note that cars only account for 2.3% of man made green house gases. That is a miniscule amount compared to the...
