Saving Gas vs. Driving Safely

April 21, 2012

Saving Gas vs. Driving Safely

During the choke of the nation's first major oil crisis, the National Maximum Speed Law provision of the 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act was drafted. More than four decades later, many states have taken advantage of the federal government's deregulation of national highway speed limit standards and abandoned the 55 mph limits on most interstate roads; however, recent studies reveal that 55 may again be the magic speed to save energy as the nation continues to face energy supply and conservation challenges.

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Americans can drive greener simply by following speed limits. The Washington-based environment and economy focused non-profit reports that driving 65 mph instead of 55 mph will lower fuel economy by about 10 percent. This is consistent with the United States Department of Energy's findings that for every 5 mph you drive over 60 mph, you pay an additional $0.24 per gallon for gasoline. Resetting the national speed limit to 55 could save an estimated 1 billion barrels of oil per year, which is more than the nation's annual imports from the Persian Gulf.

Speed has always been an issue that impacts roadway safety. In 2009, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that speed is a factor in about one-third of all fatal highway crashes. Higher-speed impacts challenge the protections available in standard motor vehicle designs.

While some may argue that the lower speed limits save lives, fuel, and the environment, highway fatalities and injuries have been on a decline during the years of increased maximum speed limits. Manufacturers have designed fuel efficient and safer motor vehicles using green technologies. Just this past November, the Highway Loss Data Institute, an affiliate of the IIHS, reported that hybrid cars are more crash-worthy than conventional cars.

Our consumer driver culture promotes impatience. Sharing the road with people rushing to parties, family gatherings or shopping may become hectic. Impaired, distracted or even aggressive driving, often compounded by speeding, will put passengers and drivers at risk. For people who have been injured in auto accidents, it is important to discuss the situation with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Article provided by The Law Office of John J. Strazzulla
Visit us at http://www.strazzullalaw.com