Indiana residents may not think much of cruising five mph faster along the state's highways come July 1, but thinking about that speed increase is exactly what drivers should be doing.
On May 6, Gov. Mitch Daniels signed a bill to place Indiana among 29 other states to have interstate speed limits of 70 mph for cars and 65 mph for vehicles over 26,000 pounds -- Indiana's first speed limit increase since 1987.
The new speed limit will technically go into effect on July 1, and drivers will be expected to follow the posted signs -- of 65 mph -- until the new speed limit signs are installed. And police will continue to expect drivers to follow the posted signs, even after they read 70 mph.
Currently, traffic runs at around 75 to 80 mph, not the legal limit, but in the interest of safety on Indiana's highways, that tendency to exceed the speed limit by 10 to 15 miles cannot continue after the increase.
Senator Larry Lutz of Evansville told television news station WFIE of Evansville, "This legislation is simply common sense. ... [It] will change the law to reflect reality." It will not, however, give drivers the right to drive five mph faster than they already do.
The responsibility of driving safely still lies squarely on the shoulders of drivers.
But the state, too, must be conscious of what effect the speed limit increase is having on the state's highways. The speed limit legislation requires that state police notify the legislature if there is an increase in traffic deaths of 7 percent or more in a year. While driving speeds do affect the number of traffic deaths that occur in a year, speed limits do not: If traffic deaths increase, it will most likely be the fault of irresponsible drivers and excessive speeds, rather than the fault of this five mph increase.
But that is not to diminunize the importance of those 5 mph. Drivers would notice if the speed went down from 65 mph to 60 mph, so they should be just as aware of the increase and, accordingly, how that affects their speeds.
Still, when drivers choose a speed for highway travel, safety and responsibility should be their primary concerns, rather than which numbers are posted on the signs.
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