Report shows possible link between increased accidents and high speed limits

A report by a task force of public and private groups shows an increase in the speed limit would increase the number of fatal accidents on Iowa interstate roadways. Tim Crouch of the Iowa Department of Transportation explains that they looked at the states around Iowa that have raised their speed limits, and found increased accidents, while states that have not raised their speed limits have seen lower or no increases in accidents. Crouch says they found Iowans are already going faster than the posted limit.He says in Iowa the speed of traffic on interstates is about that of states with a 70 mile-an-hour limit, but less than those with a 75 mile-an-hour limit. Crouch says the report was put together as an assessment of data, so he’s not saying that increasing the speed limit will lead to more deaths.While he won’t say increasing the speed limits will lead to more deaths, he says the data in the report does support that statement. He says speed isn’t the only factor involved in the increased traffic deaths, there are other things like weather and road design that figure in too.The report is on its way to the legislature which is considering a bill to raise the speed limit.