The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports in this article that travel speeds have risen on many interstate highways and arterial roads, although traffic congestion speed cameras are effective in holding speeds down somewhat. The Institute collected speed data on urban, suburban and rural interstates in eight metropolitan areas including Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Omaha, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. It found extensive violations by cars, SUVs and pickups in 2007 in all eight areas. Eighty-six percent of passenger vehicles surpassed the 70 mph limit on the Los Angeles intercity segment. The article also looked at large truck speeds and trends over the past 20 years. In 2007 on urban interstates, speeds were the highest ever logged by the Institute.
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