Study: Higher Speed Limit Raises Risks:

[ethics]

 

 

Raising the speed limit to 70 mph or more increases the risk of driving-related deaths for women and the elderly, but not for younger men, a study has found.So much for the male aggression (http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20030605_658.html). ;)

[Steve]

Fascinating. I'm ready to attribute the increase in deaths among the elderly to reduced reflexes and a correspondingly reduced ability to accurately judge speed differentials, thus contributing to more elderly people being involved in accidents at overall higher speeds.

I can't even imagine what's up with the women, though.

As a side note, did you know that during WWII, when the national speed limit was reduced to 40 (could be 45, I forget exactly) to save gas, tires, etc., that the fatality rates increased dramatically? It seems, at those low speeds, that people's attention to the road simply wavered and tapered off. They got bored and got in more accidents!

[ethics]

No, I didn't know that, but do now! :)

I am a big proponent of speed, if the roads can support it.

[Stiofán]

Without reading the study I'd say that this is because young men are faster in getting out of the way of a car going 70 mph, but perhaps this isn't your meaning. :)