The premise that motorists are not allowed to drive fast enough on some of Maryland's highways is the apparent rationale behind a bill that passed 39-7 last week in the state Senate. The bill would raise the state's top speed limit from 65 to 70 miles per hour. The bill now goes to the House of Delegates.
Among the seven voting against the measure were three senators from Baltimore County — Towson's James Brochin of the 42nd District and the southwest county's Delores Kelley of the 10th District and Shirley Nathan-Pulliam of the 44th District. We applaud their position and wish others had joined them.
The bill, sponsored by state Sen. George Edwards, a Garrett County Republican, would authorize but not require the State Highway Administration to raise speed limits on some interstates. Edwards' argument is that most interstate highways are built to handle vehicles going 70.
But are human beings built to handle high speeds? Every driver knows that the speed "limit" is not strictly enforced. Many motorists routinely drive five, 10 or even more miles per hour over the limit on the belief that they have not reached the enforcement threshhold. A speed limit of 70 mph will be, therefore, a green light to drive at 80 or faster for many. At such high speeds, no matter your driving ability, the limits of human motor skills become a factor.
The formula is simple — the faster you drive, the exponentially higher the risk. The increase is exponential because at high speeds even sober and attentive drivers face unavoidable crashes because it is difficult or impossible to respond in time to an abrupt emergency. Speeding is a factor in 31 percent of fatal crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and more than 10,000 Americans die from such crashes each year.
We live in a small, compactly populated state, unlike neighboring West Virginia and Pennsylvania, which allow a 70-mph top limit. It is hard to justify high speeds in Maryland because of vast, sparsely populated distances to cross.
We urge the House to reject this measure. If it passes, we urge the State Highway Administration to refrain from raising the limit. The mesure is misguided for the simple reason that it places the value of convenience — shaving a few minutes off driving time — higher than safety. And safety should be the key determinant.