Rep. Washburne has introduced HB 1149 which would raise the speed limit for larger vehicles. Specifically, it would increase the Interstate speed limit for vehicles over 26,000 pounds would be 70 miles per hour. Currently the speed limit for such vehicles is 65 miles per hour.
I don’t know enough about the physics to know whether this is a good idea, a bad idea, or a wash. You have to think that heavier vehicles moving faster increases the risk or will at least increase the damage when accidents do happen. On the other hand, speed differentials are probably just as dangerous as trucks moving an extra ten miles an hour faster. Another consideration is probably fuel conservation. I imagine trucking companies would like to maximize fuel economy, and increasing speed limits may make it more difficult to do so.
Bad idea, energy roughly doubles every 10mph, so this would increase energy by about 50%
Not just accident damage but road wear. increase in road/gas tax to post would be needed.
What is the reasoning for this idea? Maybe he has been stuck behind a long line of trucks that are going slower in the right lane? Won’t the other drivers just speed up as well, just because the speed limit for them has been higher than for trucks? I’m not a fan of this idea. I don’t think too many drivers survive crashes with trucks going at speed limit now. I had a slight “encounter” with a large truck a few years back. He sideswiped me as we approached a stoplight, so not at full speed. Nothing at all I could do but just slide along for the ride.