Speed cushion allowed

[Patrick]

I always heard this was true, but this proves it. Personally, I see no problem with a speed cushion. Allowing 10 over isn't too bad, especially since there's really not a decent ticket for anything less than 10. Plus at highway speeds, you wouldn't really want to write a ticket for less. If the limit is 60 mph, would you really want to write a ticket for someone going 66 mph?

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"Survey: Most states allow speed cushion

By KEN THOMAS
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Authorities patrolling U.S. highways tend to give motorists a cushion of up to 10 miles per hour above the speed limit before pulling them over, says a survey by a group of state traffic safety officials.

This practice creates an unsafe comfort level at high speeds and is a potential safety hazard, according to the report being released Monday by the Governors Highway Safety Association. The group found that 42 states allow drivers to regularly exceed the speed limit before they are stopped.

"This cushion truly exists across this country and in some cases is more than 10 mph above posted limits," said Jim Champagne, the association's chairman.

"Law enforcement needs to be given the political will to enforce speed limits and the public must get the message that speeding will not be tolerated," said Champagne, who also is executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

Since 1994, 38 states have increased their speed limit, the report said. Congress in 1995 allowed states to raise limits above 55 mph in urban areas and 65 mph on rural roads.

A study released in 1999 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimated an increase in deaths on interstates and freeways of about 15 percent in the 24 states that had raised their speed limit in late 1995 and 1996.

The survey's release comes ahead of the association's forum this week on ways to address speeding. The goal is to make recommendations for states to consider.

"As a country, if we are going to reduce the carnage on our roadways, speeding must be given the same level of attention that has been given to occupant protection and impaired driving," Champagne said.

Harsha says there's a link between speed-related deaths and the maximum speed allowed.

States reported that highway patrol officers and other authorities said enforcing traffic laws has become difficult because of uncertainty in highway safety budgets, the focus on homeland security and a shortage of officers due to retirements.

Nineteen states lack a statewide database to log speed-related citation data, the survey found. That makes it hard for policy-makers to reach conclusions about the effectiveness of their enforcement efforts."

[mranderson]

Except for school zones, I always go five over (unless weather conditions say no). Nothing wrong with it. In fact, the cops need to go after these people who think the freeway is a parking lot (those who go 5+ under). Plus the people who fail to signal,fail to yield to on coming traffic, those who slide over three lanes, and people of similar violations. THEY are just as dangerous as the nut who thinks the freeway is a NASCAR track.

[ibda12u]

Wasn't there something on the news a while back, about the OHP stopping cars going 3 miles over the posted limit, I think it had something to due with some recent accidents on the turnpike.

[Keith]

Wasn't there something on the news a while back, about the OHP stopping cars going 3 miles over the posted limit, I think it had something to due with some recent accidents on the turnpike.

Ok, if there is a 10 mph cushion on the interstate, what about the turnpikes? The turnpike speed limits are 75 mph. If you go 10 over, you are at 85 mph, which in my opinion, is way too fast. If there is a 10 mph cushion on the turnpikes, I can guarantee you motorists will be going 90 mph and above. High speed=more fatalities.