U.S. traffic fatalities jumped way up last year. Drive safe out there!

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Fingie

(Never dodge for animals smaller than a young deer)

I rarely swerve, even for larger animals. Brakes are almost always the best bet, and never at the same time as swerving.

The only time I swerve is when I notice the obstacle with less than 2 seconds to react. Last time this happened it was snowing very hard at night, and I was driving as quickly as I could since I was in the middle of nowhere and didn't have chains. 3 deer appeared across the road, and somehow I threaded the car-width gap between 2 of them.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Wisconsin lists the increase as highway deaths and it directly correlates to the increase in speed limits

Though you need to remember the old "correlation is not causation" thing. Texting & cell phone use have also gone up, and that's IMHO a lot more likely to cause crashes than simple speed. Let alone increased speed limits, 'cause (at least hereabouts) most people don't pay that much attention to them :-)

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Though you need to remember the old "correlation is not causation" thing. Texting & cell phone use have also gone up, and that's IMHO a lot more likely to cause crashes than simple speed. Let alone increased speed limits, 'cause (at least hereabouts) most people don't pay that much attention to them :-)

The increase in deaths was on highways with the increased limits, ditto the causation correlation though. Very possible roads with higher limits are more travelled.

Our state has increased road funding 20% year over year just by increasing limits, miles traveled have only gone up marginally,
so increasing speed limits is very effective at raising gas use and taxes.

I think texting is more dangerous at speed, I've been staying off primary highways as much as possible lately.

Until the last year I've never had to watch the rear view mirror constantly but zombie drivers are multiplying.
The small increase in speed limits seems to correlate to much higher actual speeds.

[Fat Charlie]

Maybe just enough added speed to overwhelm Texty McSwervalot's reflexes, where he was doing just fine at the somewhat lower speeds.

That's the real danger with speed- it just amplifies the problems we already have. If you're driving safely it doesn't really matter how quickly you're doing it. If you're not driving safely, going faster will just give you (and those around you) less slop time to recover from your mistakes.

[MetroMPG]

Texty McSwervalot =

Is that username taken?

[gone-ot]

The FASTER you're going...the HARDER the sudden stopping.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

The increase in deaths was on highways with the increased limits, ditto the causation correlation though. Very possible roads with higher limits are more travelled.

Our state has increased road funding 20% year over year just by increasing limits, miles traveled have only gone up marginally,
so increasing speed limits is very effective at raising gas use and taxes.

I think texting is more dangerous at speed, I've been staying off primary highways as much as possible lately.

Until the last year I've never had to watch the rear view mirror constantly but zombie drivers are multiplying.
The small increase in speed limits seems to correlate to much higher actual speeds.

Have there been any studies showing the causation?

Most of the studies I've read regarding highway speed limits show that increasing a speed limit that was set lower than the prevailing speeds most drivers drive at will increase compliance but not increase the average speed of drivers. Variation in speed is reduced, and the higher the deviation from the average speed, the higher the risk of a collision. As such, studies typically show no change in fatal collisions or a reduction.
For example: Speed Doesn’t Kill - The Repeal of the 55-MPH Speed Limit

I would be more than a little surprised if the higher fatality rates are linked to higher PSLs on highways.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by darcane

Have there been any studies showing the causation?

Most of the studies I've read regarding highway speed limits show that increasing a speed limit that was set lower than the prevailing speeds most drivers drive at will increase compliance but not increase the average speed of drivers. Variation in speed is reduced, and the higher the deviation from the average speed, the higher the risk of a collision. As such, studies typically show no change in fatal collisions or a reduction.
For example: Speed Doesn’t Kill - The Repeal of the 55-MPH Speed Limit

I would be more than a little surprised if the higher fatality rates are linked to higher PSLs on highways.

Highway death increase is large and occurred in a very short time of 1 year.

Since miles traveled went up minimally where does the Wisconsin 32-38% increase in deaths come from? (Overall/highway)

Inside sources say 2 lane highways had death increases within the margin of error leaving the increase solely to interstate.

Authorities state average highway speeds have increased more than the increase in the limit and that lots of new and very old drivers are now on the road?
In the span of 1 year that falls flat with me.
Authorities admit impaired or distracted drive account for most deaths but again, did that change by 38% in one year?

My guess is that higher speeds cause more dangerous accidents, which is not for discussion everyone agrees on that, but all forms of accidents and injuries have risen which means more accidents.

If speed has nothing to do with it and people where texting last year and are driving similar annual distances and obviously in a state with a reducing population we haven't had everyone age 20 years overnight or similarly import millions of 16 year olds either. (Birth rates have been low over 20 years here)

What is left?