Quote:
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Originally Posted by motordavid
Way OT, but so was the quote above...  ...
A simple solution: make the max speed limit on any road 45 mph,
make 5 point harnesses and DOT/Snell approved helmets mandatory
even in your cars, and = instant reduction of vehicle fatalities by half
or better, imo.
While we are being draconian, install alcohol detector interlock starters
on every vehicle...fatalities down another 50% of that 50%.
I must have forgotten DocKewl's original thread topic...  |
Point well taken. But keep in mind that cars today are much safer than cars in 1974. I used to have an NSX and that sucker could stop quicker from 80 than my current car can probably stop from 60, and probably about the same distance it took a 1974 car to stop from 40. So obviously how well a car handles or brakes goes a long way into determining whether it is safe to drive at a certain speed.
Considering the change in the way cars drive over the past 35 years, I think 55 mph in 1974 was probably comparable to 75 or 80 mph today. It was a good idea at the time.
I think the original idea of the 55 mph speed limit was to reduce gas consumption -- a goal which it never achieved. I think they figured out that it reduced consumption by 0.5%.