[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 23, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        INCREASED HIGHWAY FATALITIES DUE TO FASTER SPEED LIMITS

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                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 23, 1997

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, just last week, in the July 14, 1997, issue 
of USA Today an article entitled ``Fewer Dying Despite Faster Speed 
Limits'' reported that a decrease in the number of highway fatalities 
is a direct result of increased speed limits. On the contrary, the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims that highway 
fatalities are in fact up overall from 1996, leading us once again to 
the conclusion that speed and safety don't mix.
  In 1987, when we allowed States to raise rural interstate highway 
speed limits to 65 mph, a 15-20 percent increase in deaths on 
interstate highways resulted, amounting to an increase of 500 deaths 
per year. Now, after the States were allowed, at their option, to raise 
speed limits in 1995, we see once again the result of high speed 
limits. Every time we raise the speed limit more people die. It's as 
simple as that.
  In 1995, when Congress considered legislation to repeal the national 
speed limit, I led the charge to maintain what was then current law set 
in place in 1974. I did so because, as a result of that law, the very 
first year after its enactment highway deaths dropped by over 9,000.
  At the time, I said that the repeal of the national minimum speed 
limit would turn our highways into killing fields. Some proponents of 
the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, however, used 
States' rights as an issue in passing this bill. They claimed we should 
let the States decide what their own speed limits should be. I'll say 
now what I said then, this is not a States' rights issue, it is a human 
rights issue. People are dying out there and we have the opportunity to 
do something about it. After all, the Federal Government financed 90 
percent of the cost to construct the Interstate Highway System. The 
Federal Government, therefore, has a vested interest in the protection 
and safety of those roads.
  Yet, the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 gave the 
States the power to set their own speed limits. It repealed the Federal 
standard. In many cases States raised their speed limits. Many by 10 
mph, others by 15-20 miles per hour, and in extreme cases such as 
Montana, simply abolished them during daytime hours. The numbers don't 
lie. These increased speed limits have led to more deaths on America's 
highways.
  For example in California on roads where speed limits were increased 
to 70 or 75 miles per hour there has been a 12 percent increase in 
fatalities. On roads where there was a increase to 65 miles per hour 
there has been a 22 percent increase in fatalities. However, sometimes 
the numbers can be misleading. In California they have a reduction in 
traffic fatalities. However, on roads where the speed limit was 
increased, they saw an alarming rise in the number of traffic 
fatalities. The reason for the overall reduction in deaths is the 
result of a 8 percent reduction in death on roads that remained at the 
55 miles per hour speed limit.
  These are the facts. On roads where the speed limit is increased, 
more people die. On roads where the speed limit remained 55 miles per 
hour, there was a reduction in traffic fatalities. It's simple, it's 
there in black and white. Let's make our roads safe again and demand a 
uniform national speed limit of 55 miles per hour.

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