this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2025
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Raising the speed limit just makes already dangerous roads even more dangerous. Its just physics in the end. A collision at 50mph is way more dangerous than one at 40mph. Enforce the speed limits with automated cameras and let people get used to needing a few extra minutes to get places in light traffic. Yeah I know its annoying you've got a big fast car and a wide road and it feels safe to you, but statistically it just isn't and just because it probably won't be you who loses a limb or dies in an accident, doesn't mean its fine.
I've seen studies that show a positive correlation between increasing speed limits and accident rates. So I get that. On the flipside, the German autobahn is safer than US highways, and many parts of that network have no speed limits.
What's the difference? Driver training and vehicle maintenance. Getting a license is expensive there, so far fewer people get a license vs in the US, where it's practically mandatory.
Looking at the stats, most of the accidents seem to be explained by weather conditions, inexperience (age), or alcohol consumption, and it makes complete sense for those to be exacerbated by higher speed, especially when vehicle maintenance isn't happening consistently.
I think the ideal solution is a mix of reducing enforcement of speed, increasing enforcement of other laws (reckless driving, passing on the right, impaired driving, etc), mandatory safety checks, and regular retests of driving ability. I think there's a good chance that mixture could reduce overall traffic accidents.