Cm. Farmer et al., Changes in motor vehicle occupant fatalities after repeal of the national maximum speed limit, ACC ANAL PR, 31(5), 1999, pp. 537-543
Trends in motor vehicle occupant deaths over 8 years were studied for 24 st
ates that raised interstate speed limits and seven states that did not foll
owing the 1995 repeal of the US National Maximum Speed Limit. Fatalities on
interstates increased 15% in the 24 states that raised speed limits. After
accounting for changes in vehicle miles of travel, fatality rates were 17%
higher following the speed limit increases. Similar increases were reporte
d following the 1987 speed limit increases on rural interstates. Deaths on
roads other than interstates were essentially unchanged. (C) 1999 Elsevier
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