70 MPH Speed Limit in Illinois Opposed by AAA

AAA is urging Illinois legislators not to raise the speed limit from 65 to 70 mph on state roadways.

“The Illinois legislature should not ignore the enormous speeding problem Illinois already has on its roadways,” said Brad Roeber, president of AAA Chicago.  “Speeding accounts for more than half of Illinois’ over 900 roadway fatalities, and this problem cannot be fixed by letting cars and trucks travel faster.”

Roeber’s statement sits in the shadow of some states that already have limits much higher. Texas, for example, recently raised now allows driver to travel at up to 85 mph on State Highway 130. Nevada is also considering an increase to the same speed.

Nevada State Senator Don Gustavson pointed to statistics from Utah that show fatality rates in areas with higher speed limits declining. Utah and Texas are the only two states that currently have 85 mph speed limits in place.

Data provided by AAA paints a different picture for Illinois. While fatalities dropped 12 perent between 2008 and 2011, deaths related to speeding rose 14 percent.

“Make no mistake, this bill allows large trucks to travel even faster on our roadways. The majority of large-truck fatalities involve motorists, who unfortunately don’t stand a chance against an 80,000 pound vehicle traveling at high speeds,” Roeber said.