Texas Might Become the Ultimate Place to Push the Pedal to the Metal

In April the Texas legislature votedthat will raise the speed limit in the west section of the state, where roads are most desolate, flat, and straight, to 85 mph. This contributes to a Texan trend of pushing the state’s speed limits up past the national standard top level of 70 mph. Back in 2006 Texas inched it up to 75 in some areas and 80 in others, with 80 becoming the norm for the more deserted roadways in the Lone Star state. For many speed enthusiasts that make the flatlands of west Texas their home on the weekends, this is great news. Many traffic and automobile safety experts and officials, however, are dubious that the new law, which still needs to be passed by the Texas state senate, will do anything but increase the state’sWill the new law simply boost the economy with Austin, Dallas, and
shops fixing and tuning up toys that get played with on the West Texas highway system? Or is it going to make Texas surpass California in most car fatalities in the Union? (consider that these states do have higher populations of drivers than most others) In all likelihood more people will get seriously injured or killed than in previous years if the speed limit increases by 5 miles per hour. Whether it increases dramatically or in a way that’s expected and pre-considered, is yet to be determined.
The thing to remember is that setting speeds that high creates a dichotomy on the road. Many folks either have cars that can’t handle long stretches of driving that fast, or simply are too cautious of drivers to want to go that fast. That leaves those who want to take full advantage of the speed increase left to bob and weave between slower traffic. Granted this isn’t common on the desolate roads of West Texas, but if most crashes involve two cars, then all it takes are two for a situation to become highly lethal.
This is especially the case when you consider how fast people travel today already. Zones limited to 70 mph are often sped through by people who go 75-80 already. If the speed limit is pushed to 85, we can logically expect drivers to take their cars up to 90-100. Add these folks to the mix of old fashioned people who stick to 70, we could have some serious problems on Texas roads.
Then again, consider the German autobahn. It’s frequented much more often than the highways of West Texas yet is a simple two-lane road for most the duration. There is no speed limit. Cars on the autobahn obey adapted rules of the road for the varying situations that pit Porsche against station wagon. We may see our very own American autobahn be created on the western end of Texas. With cars getting more crash-proof every year and technology advancing in the assistance of collision and crash avoidance, we might even see a complete abandonment of the speed limit on the most lonely of Lone Star roads. In the meantime, be happy with the possibilities of 85 mph and always wear your seatbelt