Florida lawmakers have proposed to increase speed limits on certain highways throughout the state, prompting concerns that faster cars will lead to more severe accidents, newspapers report.
Sens. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg and Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth filed a bill that would raise speeds on some stretches of rural Florida highways from 70 to 75 mph, and on divided highways from 60 to 65 mph. The changes would not apply to some of Florida’s busiest areas such as Jacksonville, West Palm Beach or Miami, proponents said.
A number of studies conducted after states were allowed to raise speed limits from 55 miles per hour to 65 mph found that higher speed limits were associated with some increases in deaths and incapacitating injuries. A 2009 study in the American Journal of Public Health found a 3.2 percent increase in fatalities attributable to speed on all types of roads, with the highest increase on rural interstates.
The issue becomes more complicated because the number of accident fatalities has steadily declined in Florida over the past several years. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, overall traffic deaths dropped from 2,980 in 2008 to 2,424 in 2012. Similar declines occurred in both rural and urban areas throughout Florida during the same period.
Brandes told the Tampa Bay Times that increases in speed limits would be made on a highway only after traffic engineers from the Department of Transportation agree that it would be safe to do so. Factors that will be considered include road design, access and exit points, capacity and general traffic patterns.
Opponents say that roads need to be evaluated for other factors as well, such as the roadside environment, proximity to school zones, presence of pedestrians and amount of law enforcement in place.
There is no doubt that speed itself plays a major role in the severity of injuries when a car accident occurs. The faster the speed, the greater distance a vehicle will travel before it stops and the shorter amount of time a driver has to react to emergencies when they happen. The World Health Organization found that a car traveling 30 mph will need roughly 42 feet to stop, whereas a car going just 25 mph will only need 27 feet to halt.
Speed also affects how violent the impact will be when a collision occurs. According to WHO, the likelihood of death in a car going 50 mph is 20 times higher than in one traveling at 20 mph. That goes for both the driver of the car as well as the crash opponent, the Institute for Road Safety Research says. Speeding, such as exceeding the speed limit and driving too fast for conditions, contributes to many car accidents.
The size of the vehicles involved in high-speed crashes also makes a difference. When a tractor-trailer collides with the average sedan, the laws of physics generally dictate that the occupants of the lighter vehicle will sustain the worst injuries. Pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists are even more vulnerable to head injuries and traumatic brain injuries due to their lack of direct protection from impact.
If approved, the proposed increase to Florida’s speed limits would not be implemented until 2015.
Florida lawmakers have proposed to increase speed limits on certain highways throughout the state, prompting concerns that faster cars will lead to more severe accidents, newspapers report.
Sens. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg and Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth filed a bill that would raise speeds on some stretches of rural Florida highways from 70 to 75 mph, and on divided highways from 60 to 65 mph. The changes would not apply to some of Florida’s busiest areas such as Jacksonville, West Palm Beach or Miami, proponents said.
A number of studies conducted after states were allowed to raise speed limits from 55 miles per hour to 65 mph found that higher speed limits were associated with some increases in deaths and incapacitating injuries. A 2009 study in the American Journal of Public Health found a 3.2 percent increase in fatalities attributable to speed on all types of roads, with the highest increase on rural interstates.
The issue becomes more complicated because the number of accident fatalities has steadily declined in Florida over the past several years. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, overall traffic deaths dropped from 2,980 in 2008 to 2,424 in 2012. Similar declines occurred in both rural and urban areas throughout Florida during the same period.
Brandes told the Tampa Bay Times that increases in speed limits would be made on a highway only after traffic engineers from the Department of Transportation agree that it would be safe to do so. Factors that will be considered include road design, access and exit points, capacity and general traffic patterns.
Opponents say that roads need to be evaluated for other factors as well, such as the roadside environment, proximity to school zones, presence of pedestrians and amount of law enforcement in place.
There is no doubt that speed itself plays a major role in the severity of injuries when a car accident occurs. The faster the speed, the greater distance a vehicle will travel before it stops and the shorter amount of time a driver has to react to emergencies when they happen. The World Health Organization found that a car traveling 30 mph will need roughly 42 feet to stop, whereas a car going just 25 mph will only need 27 feet to halt.
Speed also affects how violent the impact will be when a collision occurs. According to WHO, the likelihood of death in a car going 50 mph is 20 times higher than in one traveling at 20 mph. That goes for both the driver of the car as well as the crash opponent, the Institute for Road Safety Research says. Speeding, such as exceeding the speed limit and driving too fast for conditions, contributes to many car accidents.
The size of the vehicles involved in high-speed crashes also makes a difference. When a tractor-trailer collides with the average sedan, the laws of physics generally dictate that the occupants of the lighter vehicle will sustain the worst injuries. Pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists are even more vulnerable to head injuries and traumatic brain injuries due to their lack of direct protection from impact.
If approved, the proposed increase to Florida’s speed limits would not be implemented until 2015.