Personal Injury Blog

Truckers Lobbying for Faster Speed Limit

The American Trucking Association, a group that represents trucking companies, is calling for a return to a uniform national speed limit.  While the national speed limit was set at 55 m.p.h. in 1974 (a response to an oil shortage), states have been allowed to regulate their own speed limits since 1995.  Most states have set their speed limits over 65 m.p.h., and some places in Texas have speed limits of 80 m.p.h. or greater.

The proposed speed limit is not being proposed for safety reasons, however, but for better fuel economy.  The ATA says that slowing speeds from 75 to 65 would offer trucks as much as 27% greater fuel economy.  The result would be to lower the price of gas and oil as the demand decreased.

The group also wants a federal requirement that all tractor-trailers be equipped with a 68 m.p.h. speed limiter.  By doing this, the agency hopes that it would bring all truckers in line and would limit competition amongst truck drivers to get their goods to the destination in quicker times by speeding. 

Whatever the reason, slowing down fully loaded semis would greatly increase the safety of drivers on the roads.