Will allowing people to drive faster actually encourage them to slow down?
The Salt Lake City newspaper The Deseret News is reporting that by raising the speed limit to 80 m.p.h. on certain stretchs of I-15 in southern Utah, it actually led to reduced over-all speeds among 85% of the drivers.
With an 80 mph posted speed limit, people are driving 81 mph to 85 mph, said Carlos Braceras, UDOT deputy director. With a 75 mph posted speed limit, people were driving 83 mph to 85 mph.
Texas is the only other state with 80 m.p.h. speed limit areas. It’s also important to note that the 80 m.p.h. zones “lack extreme curves and mountainous terrain,” but there are plenty of places in the United States with long flat stretches of interstate.
