Is the Increased Speed Limit Worth the Increased Risk?
Photo courtesy of Madison.com.

Is the Increased Speed Limit Worth the Increased Risk?

As of February, Wisconsin driving fatalities have been up 32 percent since last year and are still increasing. Is this a direct result of increased speed limits on many state interstates?

Fred Simons, police officer for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Protective Services, believes there is not a single cause for the increase in driving fatalities.

“I would have to say that distracted driving and the increase in the number of vehicles on the road are just as likely, if not more likely to be the cause for an increase in crashes,” Simons said.

Distracted driving paired with the improved economy, lower fuel costs and increase in number of drivers on the road all contribute to an increased opportunity for crashes to occur. Increasing the speed limit does not directly cause more crashes. However, it does increase the severity of crashes and the potential number of fatalities.

Elsa Jensson, sophomore communication major, does not think the increased speed is worth the increased risk.

Jensson said, “Would you rather be five minutes late or in a potentially life-threatening accident due to speed?”

Most drivers will drive at a speed they feel comfortable, regardless of the speed limit. Prior to increased speed limits, 85 percent of drivers were already driving at or around 70 miles per hour.

The increase in Wisconsin’s speed limit first occurred due to a law passed by the state legislature and signed in early 2015 by Governor Walker. In 1962, the state speed limit was 70 mph but was changed to 55 mph in the 1970s to save on fuel.

Wisconsin is the last state in the upper Midwest to increase the speed limit on interstate highways. Lawmakers introduced a bill to increase the speed limit to match those of neighboring states.

Kennedy Fitzgerald, junior Spanish major, lives three hours from UWSP and drives mostly on the interstate to go home. Although it is an increased risk, Fitzgerald describes the increased speed limit as convenient and a luxury because it shortens the ride home.

“For me, I feel like I can go five or ten over whatever the speed limit is,” Fitzgerald said.

Simons defines speed limits as “the maximum speed allowed in ideal conditions,” and drivers have the responsibility to adjust accordingly.

Ultimately, having safe roads for everyone is the responsibility of each driver. Putting down a cell phone and being aware of surroundings can greatly decrease the number of driving fatalities in the future.

David Pabst, director of WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety, gives practical advice for drivers on the road.

“We need motorists to buckle up, slow down, pay attention and drive sober,” Pabst said.

 

Kaitlyn Wanta

Reporter

kwant593@uwsp.edu

 

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