The appearance of safety; the presence of danger

As any auto racing fan will tell you, one of the reasons there are not more serious accidents on the track is because most of the cars are traveling in the same direction at about the same speed.

Since both logic and common sense adorn this observation, please tell me why many states persist in believing split speed limits – whereby automobiles are allowed to travel at a greater speed than trucks on interstates – are dictated by safety.

In New Jersey, the Department of Transportation took a proposal to use split speed limits off the table. The proposal would have placed cars at 65 mph while trucks would have been restricted to 55 mph on the state’s highways.

Anna Farneski, spokeswoman for the New Jersey DOT, said they didn’t feel that a dual speed limit would be effective in that state. “Our highways are narrower than other states; California has it, but California has notoriously wide interstates, and the interchanges are very spaced out. Here, they’re not. We have narrow highways and the interchanges are very close,” she said. “We were afraid this would create more problems, more accidents by having the dual truck speed limit. We simply have too many vehicles on our roads for this to be effective.”

In Georgia a new bill would require trucks to travel 10 mph slower than other vehicles on the state’s interstates. HB 353, introduced Feb. 12 by Rep. Larry Walker, D-Perry, GA, would apply the slower speeds to any truck with more than 6 wheels. Under the bill, the split speed limit would not have to be posted – truckers would be expected to know about the new limits, even without signs.

In Connecticut, Rep. Brian O’Connor, D-Westbrook, has introduced a measure that he says is “to reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents involving tractor-trailers and to improve safety on our highways.” The bill would require trucks to travel 10 mph slower than other vehicles on the state’s highways.

However, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation, “the key factor (in accidents) is speed variance.” The greater the speed variance, the greater the number of interactions among vehicles. Thus, passing maneuvers and opportunities for collisions increase.

Perhaps Mr. O’Connor and the members of the Georgia Legislature should ask questions of legislators in states that presently have a split speed limit and are trying to rectify the error.

One of the more notorious such states, at least among truckers, is Ohio.

According to The Trucker magazine, Ohio Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, is attempting to rid the state of its split speed limits that have been law since July 1987, in favor of uniform speeds.

HB186, introduced May 14, would cut provisions in Ohio law that set up a slower speed for vehicles weighing more than 8,000 pounds. Currently those vehicles have a speed limit of 55 mph, while other vehicles are allowed to drive 65 mph.

There are three reasons Gibbs said he is trying to pass this new legislation:

1. Decreasing the speed variance is safer;

2. To encourage trucks to use the turnpike and get them off of two lane roads; and

3. It’s more efficient for trucking companies.

“Safety is the number one issue,” Gibbs said, “despite the other two reasons.”

Gibbs said he feels there is more momentum now to do away with split speed limits because research data shows uniform speed limits are safer.

Gibbs is correct: More than logic and common sense speaks in favor of a uniform speed limit for cars and trucks.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that crash involvement rates are almost six times greater for vehicles traveling 10 mph below or above the average speed limit. The findings of the 1994 report also show that the proportion of car-truck rear-end collisions was 26 percent greater in speed-differential states when compared to uniform speed limit states, and collisions in those states were more likely to involve cars striking trucks.

On highways with split speed limits, cars trying to exercise their “rights” to drive faster end up cutting in and out from between the slower trucks. Instead of all traffic flowing predictably at the prevailing rate of speed, traffic is unpredictable. Under these conditions it is difficult for truck drivers to anticipate the actions of automobile drivers and make safe driving decisions accordingly.

It may not make sense to some legislators, but a truck moving with the flow of traffic at 75 mph is actually safer than one that sticks to 60 mph on the same stretch of road.

Bad legislation never fixes problems; it causes them. It is time our legislators stopped playing at appearing to be safety conscious and got serious.

A uniform speed limit for cars and trucks is a good place to begin.

Guy Bourrie has been hauling on the highways for 20 years. He lives in Washington, Maine, and can be reached at [email protected]