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Florida Speed Limit Increase Moves Forward
January 20, 2014
A bill that could increase speed limits on some Florida roads is rolling along in Tallahassee. The measure was easily approved by the Senate Transportation Committee on a 6-1 vote.
The proposal — by Sens. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth — would allow 75 mph speed limits on limited-access highways, along with a boost in speeds on other roads. The measure would direct the state Department of Transportation to determine the safe minimum and maximum speed limits on all divided highways that have least four lanes.
Supporters of the bill say it’s safe and that many drivers are already going faster than the current top rate of 70 mph. But critics say it could lead to more accidents.
“The highways of Florida are not the German Autobahn,” said Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, the only lawmaker on the panel to vote against the bill.
The legislation still has to pass the Community Affairs and Appropriations committees before pulling onto the Senate floor. For now, there’s no House companion to merge with the Senate’s bill.
by The News Service of Florida
Comments
12 Responses to “Florida Speed Limit Increase Moves Forward”
how many will be doing above 75 if passed. as far as Texas and other states with 75. those roads arent packed like ours.BAD IDEA IF PASSES.
Higher limits on roads & freeways that are designed for higher speeds do not increase the likely hood of accidents!! Over 7 decades of real world collected DOT data from around the world shows this to be the fact……Not something the safety lobby( in reality groups formed and supported by the insurance lobby )!
Utah DOT(Department of Transportation) just came out with 5+ years of collected data that shows that their increase to 80 mph on ~339 miles of interstates has actually made travel safer in stretches where higher legal speeds are allowed today!! The data also states that areas where the limit has been raised to 80 there has been no increase in average travel speeds. Before the increase from 75 to 80 the average speeds were 81-83 mph. Since the increase 5+ years ago the average has not changed and is still 81-83 mph
And there are plans in the works right now to bring all limits on highways & freeways across the state to proper posted maximums of 70-75 or 80 depending on design and current average travel speeds. Today two lane highways are posted at a maximum of 65 with under the coming plan the possibility to post the maximums to 70 or 75 where deemed appropriate by safety and average speed studies.
Texas has also proved in recent years with the statewide posting of the 75 mph maximum on all two lane highways and 75-80 mph freeways that increased legal speeds do not make travel in more dangerous. this fact is never told by the So called safety advocates. (These groups are in reality the insurance lobby ), a group that has made billions with a “B” in surcharges and rate increases from the decades of keeping limits 10-30 mph below what is in reality the safe maximum!!!
Here in Idaho, the limit is 75mph. I haven’t seen a wreck once in the seven months I’ve been here. The limit, however, is on the interstate. Main highways, such as 29, here are equivalent to 65, while in town it’s as low as 25 and 35. I drive those speeds quite often, and don’t have a problem with it. It’s not speed that is causing the accidents and incuring deaths; it’s people who don’t pay attention while they are driving, who mess with their phones, radio, ect.,
@LEO GUY, you mistake good advice ( and the law) for how i drive.
75 – Great!
People are already driving faster, raising the rates won’t effect that. It will just mean less tickets given out. I doubt your fears of more deadly accidents will be a reality.
@well,
Drive like hell well, you’ll get there. :-/
Jane, this doesn’t mean that all highways’ limits will automatically become 75 mph; many won’t change at all. The roadways that will primarily be affected by any increase will be those long interstate stretches with few, if any, interchanges or accesses. I’ll be happy to see it increase. Other states have done this (a couple have gone to 80 mph as the top speed) without a measureable increase in accidents. Besides, a bad wreck at 75 isn’t much different than a bad wreck at 70.
Keep right jane.
I have no problem with the increase, as long as the law enforcement cracks down on texting.
Glad to see it. People drive faster than 55 everywhere, do away with it.
Great. More accidents at a higher speed. People can’t drive the speed limit without getting into accidents now, so let’s increase the speed limit so the result will be worse accidents and more deadly ones.