In April 1987, Congress passed the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act, which permitted states to raise their maximum speed limit on rural interstate highways to 65 mph. Since then, 40 states (including Virginia) have adopted a 65-mph maximum speed limit. Virginia's 65-mph speed limit became effective for passenger cars on July 1, 1988, and for commercial buses on July 1, 1989. The findings presented summarise 18 months of experience with the 65-mph speed limit in Virginia. Fatal crashes and fatalities increased on average more in Virginia than in other states that raised their maximum speed limit to 65 mph. The change in the maximum speed limit may have caused these increases. However, other factors cannot be ruled out. For instance, weather conditions, changes in traffic volume, trip type, or vehicle mix could account for some of the increase. Thus, although increases in speed occurred, the change in the maximum speed limit may not account for the increases in fatal crashes and fatalities.
Samenvatting