Supporters say increase will make roads safer
Quincy, IL-- William Hicks has been a truck driver for about 15 years. He and other truck drivers we spoke to say increasing the truck speed limit in Illinois wouldn't be such a bad idea."I think most of us on the roads are for it. The problem we have in Illinois with two speed limits, the cars will do almost anything to get by us. They cut us off, they take big chances trying to pass us. It's really turned into a safety issue for us," Hicks said.
Truck driver Mark Kiewel says, "I'm liking it, because almost every company is governed at 65 miles per hour, this 55, sometimes we've got cars flying by us, going really quick."
The truck drivers we spoke to told us they feel that forcing a uniform speed limit such as other surrounding states in the Midwest would create safer roads for truckers and smaller vehicles. But some worry an increased speed limit could mean more accidents.
Are you concerned about safety at all with the speed limit and the equipment they haul?
Illinois Senator John Sullivan says, "Absolutely. Safety is always a concern."
Sullivan says there are no facts to prove that Illinois has less traffic accidents involving trucks than other states that do have 65 and 70 and 75 miles per hour speed limits for trucks.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, it found that states with uniform speed limits, had no increase in accident rates. It's latest study was taken between 1995-1998 for fatal car-truck crashes. Reports showed that major factors in *those* accidents were following improperly, driving with obscured vision, fatigued driving, and improper lane changing...no reference of speed.
Another study found that setting separate speed limits for cars and trucks resulted in a number of rear-end collision and could put motorists in more danger.
The bill passed in the Senate and is now in the House Vehicles and Safety Committee. Lawmakers have until May 22nd to make a final decision.
To see a full report of the AAA study, click this link, http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/CarTruck.pdf
While Illinois is looking at increasing its speed limit for trucks, Iowa *may* consider reducing theirs.
According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, traffic deaths on rural interstate highways are up, but serious crashes have fallen since the speed limit was raised from 65 to 70 miles per hour in 2005. Records show there were 30 deaths a year in the 30 months after the speed limit was raised, most on two-lane highways.
So far, a spokesperson for Iowa Governor Chet Culver says he is not considering a change to the speed limit.