Granted, I am not a traffic control engineer. However, I like to think I have some degree of common sense.

In the news last week, I heard that the speed limit was upped to 70 mph on some portions of the Maine Turnpike. Ironically, the next news story involved a deadly accident in Limerick whereby a 22-year-old got killed.

Speed was the factor.

Following this report, Maine State Police stated that distracted driving was likely a factor in an accident in Augusta and police were investigating. The website wa.gov.au in Australia warns that “Speed increases crashes. The faster you drive, the harder you hit.”

Vehicles traveling at higher speeds require more time to stop, will need to dissipate more energy in a crash (the crash will be more violent), and will reduce the effectiveness of a vehicle’s safety devices and crash barriers that help protect occupants in crashes.

According to the New York State Traffic Safety Committee, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional 24 cents per gallon for gas.

Now those who were going 70 in a 65 zone will be going 75. I did my own informal survey. I was driving 70 in the passing lane on my way to Portland. Sure enough, cars were passing me to the right.

What will the next safety measure bring? Upping the speed to 75 because a large percentage of the traffic flow is traveling at 75 mph?

Diane Williams, Lewiston