Speed Limits in the US - Essay Example

Apart from the reduction in fatalities, environmental concerns are also to be considered while reviewing the need for speed limits. The Slower Speed Initiative (SSI), a UK based program, says, "reducing speed limits is the only single most effective measure to reduce carbon emissions reduced speed would mean, increased road safety, reduced road danger, fuel consumption, noise and encouragement for walking, cycling and public transport" (SSI). Germany is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not have a speed limit for its motorists on its famed Autobahns.

However, stricter laws and stringent enforcement of rules accompany this. The minimum driving age in Germany is 18 years, passing on the right is illegal on Autobahns and drinking-driving laws are tougher in Germany than in the United States, contributing to lower death rates on the Autobahns. Yet, according to a survey, fifty-four percent of Germans favor the imposition of a speed limit of 130 kph (Reuters). This clearly shows that even those with the freedom to speed would rather have some form of control.

Eliminating speed limits would encourage over-speeding and consequently result in more deaths. Driver disposition is also a factor to be borne in mind as people do not all travel at uniform speeds. Even if speed limits were to be eliminated there would still be variations in speed on the road. Even so, in high-speed highways, speeding and not speeding variation remains the real problem. "The risk of death and severe injury is a direct exponential function of speed and not speed differences" (DeKalb County Police Department).

However, human nature is such that most drivers drive somewhat faster than the posted speed limit. Surprisingly, "Rural roads account for sixty percent of all speed-related fatal crashes[and]an average 1000 Americans are killed every month in road-related crashes" (NHTSA2). The direct correlation between increased speeds and fatalities can be gauged from the fact that "in states where the speed limit was raised to 65 kph, it caused 15 - 20 percent more deaths on rural interstates, than would otherwise be expected" (NHTSA2).

This could also be attributed to the greater difficulty in the enforcement of traffic laws in rural communities. Given these facts, the argument of the elimination of the speed limit does not hold much water. Coupled with the growing need to preserve our environment it would be better to have realistic speed limits in place.