Columnist Dennis Byrne’s focus on cars going faster than the speed limit is misplaced in that the problem is not with the drivers but with elected officials who fail to take into account improvements in roads and cars when setting speed limits (“Putting pedal to the metal; Violating speed laws a blatant hallmark of our times,” Commentary, March 14).
In 1955 (50 years ago), my sister and I rattled around in the back seat of a car that didn’t have seat-belts, radial tires, disc brakes or any of the other safety features we now take for granted. The speed limit on rural roads was 55 m.p.h., the current speed limit on the Tri-State Tollway and the other interstates in and around Chicago. Highways today are safer (with limited access, side lines, rumble strips along the sides and lane reflectors), and cars are much safer (with anti-lock brakes, traction control, air bags, padded dashes and dozens of other safety improvements) than they were then. Cars and drivers are capable of cruising along much faster than 55 in the city or 65 Downstate, and most do.
It’s my experience that more than 90 percent of drivers exceed the speed limit on freeways and tollways in non-rush hour situations. The police don’t catch one in 10,000, so why not?
If fatalities are a concern, let’s continue the successful crackdown on drunk drivers who are responsible for many traffic deaths.
Rather than complaining, it’s time to encourage our elected officials to raise the speed limits to reflect the roads, vehicles and driving habits of the 21st Century.
