Hello all, I know I'm probably posting this on the wrong board and whatnot, but I feel like I just have to kinda take a poll on the 55 mph truck speed limits in certain states (Ohio, Illinois, California to name a few).

I want to know what the hell the logic is behind that law. It is rediculous. They claim trucks need to have a slower speed limit than cars because they have a longer stopping distance. While that is true, I for one believe that making trucks travel 10 mph slower than cars poses a major hazard. This makes trucks a rear ender hazard and forces cars to weave in and out of trucks on the highway, which is unsafe if you ask me.

I think it is foolish to make trucks go 10 mph slower on an open highway for the reason stated above. Even though they take longer to stop, the drivers are trained throughout their careers to maintain a proper following distance based on how fast they are driving. As long as they do this, their stopping distance usually doesn't matter.

I'm sorry but 55 mph is just too damn slow when you already have only 11 hrs to drive in one day. Sure you can keep your CB on and find out where the cops are sitting, but that won't always work either (it usually will but not always). Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the safest speed the speed of other traffic? A bunch of vehicles moving in the same direction at the same speed are not likely to collide in any way.

Anyways, now that I have that out of my system, I wanted to get your opinions on these laws. Is there any driver out there that acctually agrees with these 55 mph truck speed limits and acctually obeys them at all times? Thanks in advance, I'm looking forward to hearing your input.

 

REVENUE GENERATION

 

How so?

It just makes me mad that these certain states feel they have to make that law when there are about 43 other states that don't have split speed limits. Are these states trying to say they are right and the other 43 are wrong?

 

As far as revenue generation....imagine each of the states with a 55 mph truck speed limit issues 100 tickets a day, to trucks traveling 60 mph. Each fine is $67.00. That would be $6700 per day, per state. 7 days a week, that is $46,900.00 per state, and $187,600.00 per month per state.

Just sayin.

 

Ok, I see what you are saying, but then why don't they just make the speed limit 55 mph for EVERYONE, not just trucks. They would make a hell of a lot more that way, right?

 

The Federal Government took control and set all states maximum speed limits to 55 MPH in 1974.

It repealed the law and gave speed llimit settings back to the individual states, in 1995.

Since then states have raised limits a little, a lot, or not at all, at their discretion.

Revenue? Pretty simply. You can write a lot more truck speeding tickets for exceeding 55, verses 65 or 75.

The 55 mph states may claim saftey, but it's money.

 

I also believe it is only revenue. Couple of reasons:

1. If it truly is safer for trucks to travel slower than the car speed, split speeds would be extended to all highways (within the split speed state). When you are traveling on many state/county routes, there may only be one speed limit. Ive noticed the split speeds are only on the roads when the speed limit (for cars) is 60 or higher.

2. Ohio, turnpike, anybody who travels this road, will remember a few years back that the state raised the truck speed to match the car speed, 65mph for all traffic. This was to intice the trucks back onto the turnpike and off the state and county routes. By raising the truck speed they are basically admitting that the split speed is for revenue generation only, and are giving you the higher speed only for use on the turnpike. If split speed limit was for safety, then Ohio is throwing safety to the wind by raising the speed limit for trucks on the turnpike.

 

If you look at the actual statistics I think you will find that every study that I can recall reading has shown that when speed limits are split that it is actually more dangerous rather than safer. It makes sense that there would be fewer accidents when all vehicles are traveling at nearly the same speed. Either you believe the studies or you don't. I think common sense will tell you that it is safer to have traffic traveling at the same speed. There have been a lot of accidents where cars have driven into the rear of a slow moving truck. These states know that truckers will travel more than 55 mph. Fines will generate significant revenue. What is happening is that many states are suffering shortfalls due to gross and criminal mismanagement of public highway funds and other taxes. They are attempting to cover their wrong doing by generating revenue any way they can. Truckers are a good target. Government representatives get by the criticism by saying it is for safety. In reality it is about money. After all, who could argue about SAFETY? :evil:

 

Ok guys, thanks for your replies so far. I see what you are all saying and I figured that could have had something to do with it. But if they are making that much money off writing trucks speeding tickets, why are there still 70 mph speed limits and even 75 mph speed limits some places? Why don't those states make it 65 so they could make more money? Why are trucks the only target here? That is so wrong to target trucks like that to make money, when in reality they are the professionals that should be trusted to know how fast they can safely drive. Plus they only have 11 hrs they can drive in one day, and they waste how much of their 11 creeping through Ohio, for example. Its bullshit, and something needs done about it even though that will never happen.

 

For what it is worth, twice in the last few years Illinois has passed a law to eliminate the split speed limit but each time our dear gov has vetoed it. The second time they were only a few votes short of being able to overturn the veto.

As a little side note, the "official" position of the IL state police is that the split limit is safer than having trucks go the same as cars. Unofficially I have yet to talk to a state cop that believes this.