Of speed and comfort

Larry Bintliff’s letter implies that raising the speed limit will result in a corresponding increase in the speed of those exceeding it. This is incorrect.

The reality is most people will drive a speed they are comfortable with, regardless of posted speeds. Speed studies have shown that raising the speed limits did not result in an overall increase in speed. The law passed to raise speed limits in Arkansas directs the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to conduct speed studies to determine if the limit can be raised. Typically, the 85th percentile rule governs such changes. The speed limit will be set according to the speed at or below which 85 percent of vehicles are driving under free-flowing conditions.

It’s not necessarily speed that kills, it’s inappropriate speed that kills.

Driving too fast for conditions (weather, traffic, roadway design), or vehicle and driver capabilities are where most people get in trouble. Many such crashes happen far below interstate highway speeds. For those, an increase in the interstate speed will not matter.

There will always be some lunatic going 95 mph regardless of the posted speed; changed speed limits will not change their behavior. What they will do is reflect the speed most motorists feel is a safe speed for the highway. Interstate highways are designed and built for safe travel at a relatively high speed. Posted limits should reflect the engineering and construction that makes such speeds reasonable.

THOMAS A. BECKETT

Siloam Springs