Texas raises speed limit to 85

[joeintexas]

Not sure if people are in a hurry to get into the state or a hurry to get out, but the Texas House voted to raise the speed limit to 85 mph! It goes to the Senate now. To me that sure looks like a recipe for disaster. My old brain can't think that fast!

[BillBingham2]

What's worse is the young brains think they can but can't.

Let's see, 85 plus 10% puts you mid 90's or so. So the kids who want to speed will now be doing 100+ to show how cool they are.

I bet the number of flip-overs will increase by 25% this year in Texas.

Sad move.

B2

[longranger]

Here it would make the folks in Colorado a little closer to the legal speed limit.We get alot of out of state folks getting tickets for over 100mph.

[bitstream]

Out in West Texas on I-10 are some stretches where this won't be a big deal. Not sure about everywhere else though; some spots will have to stay slower.

[wbraswell]

This isn't a state wide speed limit. It's just for a few new highways and some interstates in the west.

[kenpofan]

I'm fine with an interstate speed limit at or near those #'s.
Eastern part of NC has 75 mph limit and we are not nearly as open as west Texas.

MHO..

[cowboy117]

Originally Posted by bitstream

Out in West Texas on I-10 are some stretches where this won't be a big deal. Not sure about everywhere else though; some spots will have to stay slower.

+1.Tejas is a big state with great interstates and in some places huge distances between towns.Some other places in the west need to do the same[Nevada in the '60's had no speed limit].

[BUFF]

Utah tried this a couple of years ago on two stretches of I-15. The DOT and Highway Patrol have been collecting data. So far, there seems to be little effect on either the accident rate, fatality rate or how fast people drive. 85 seems to be some sort of mental barrier and is fast enough for most people, and folks don't seem to automatically set their cruise controls for 10 over the posted limit there.

Here, the change was prompted by a state legislator who lives in the southern part of Utah but frequently drives to the capital, SLC, in the north. Seems he wanted to decrease his travel time!

There are a lot of places in the western U.S. where there really isn't much of anything out there and destinations are long ways apart. Some studies found, back when speed limits were 55 and 65, many drivers fell asleep from boredom. Boredom seems to be less of a problem when you are driving really fast.

I have mixed thoughts on the matter. My primary concern is the increasing difference between the fast and the slow drivers on the same road that this will bring.

The last time I drove I-80 from Sacramento, CA to SLC, we stopped in Reno overnight. The next morning, east of there, with the light traffic, very good road, great weather and unlimited visibility, I set the cruise at eight mph over the limit. I didn't touch the brakes or the gas until we got to Wendover, probably 350-375 miles, and stopped for gas. During those several hours, I think maybe 6 or 8 cars passed me, and were not going much faster. It didn't seem terribly different from my normal, slower pace. I think people generally will arrive at a similar range of speeds they consider safe for the conditions.

Except for a few knuckleheads, of course.

[LHS]

Shoot, my car won't go that fast if I drove it off a cliff!

[keith44spl]

Hell fire Boys,

They's been driving 85 or more for years...Don't think they'll raise it up around the metroplex or Houston...It'll be way out west....

Everyone predicted de-saster when MT remove it's daylite speed limits way back yonder...Sky didn't fall back then either.

This to shall pass...

What was up with the nation wide 55 MPH limit anyways, oh,
that gas savin' idea the gummint had that time. We all see how that work out,

Mabbe this higher speed limit is a time saver idee....

Su Amigo,
Dave

Su Amigo,
Dave

[Evil One]

Just means I am less likely to get a ticket in tx.


Jim

[Roymond]

I wouldn't mind getting a speed limit increase to 75 in Massachusetts but we're forever going to be stuck at 65 because of the winters and the horrid conditions of our roads.

[Frank237]

Someone hit it...for some reason 85 seems to be the "sweet spot" for most drivers. Back in the mid 90's when we went back to the daytime "Reasonable and Prudent" limit most cars were going 80-85 on the Interstate and 70-80 on the better two lane, rural highways.

The first two years the stat's were astounding...the death rate wasn't any worse than the previous several years....in some counties the acc/death rate was even lower.

Then the next two years it DID hit the fan. All sorts of head ons on the 2 lane roads from bad passes, and flat ridiculous hi speed wrecks trying to avoid a deer, or a car pulliing onto the roadway, etc. Our rural 2 lane roads didn't have the engineering to support higher speeds.

We ended up alloowing 70 mph on rural 2 lanes, unless posted lower.

And 75 mph on the Interstate which is really 80+ as 95% of the Troopers don't even look at you unless your 85 or better.

Can't see any reason to NOT have the stretch from SLC to Reno at 85 mph..I drive that 3-4 times a year. Several areas of MT the same way on the Interstate. 85 would be fine.

FN in MT

[P&R Fan]

The cars they make today, with a few exceptions, are not engineered to go that fast on a regular basis. Can you see a Prius driver going 85?
One major problem I can forsee is deer-car accidents. I don't know how common they are in Texas, but in some states they are a major problem. The last deer I hit was in Oklahoma in the early '90s. I was driving a Mazda Protege, basically a sporty Ford Escort. I was doing about 90 MPH when I hit a huge buck. $4000 damage to the car, severe case of death to the buck.
I used to like to drive REALLY fast all the time. Not so much anymore. On Hwy I-380 here in Iowa the speed limit is now 70, used to be 65. Most of the time I go a half hour on it before I realize I can go 70.
You don't suppose I grew up.......Do you?

[OFT II]

As I understand it the 85mph speed limit will be only in areas that presently have an 80mph speed limit now. That's not that much of an increase over the present speed limit.

[feralmerril]

As buff said, I live at cedar city utah, thats on I-15, and recently they bumped the speed limit up to 85 just north of town. They are putting up deer fences south of here and soon north I hope! I think far more deer get hit here than shot by hunters. I have seen deer hit right in the middle of town! Even when the limit was 75 I thought it too high for night driveing because of deer. When we get snow on the freeway there are many accidents. In good weather durring daylight, most any high speed I think is pretty safe.
That said, when you drive through my area, watch your speed. This area has tax collectors in many unmarked cars! Even hot mustangs with raceing stripes etc. On the same thinking, I guess they dont pay much retirement here as a huge percentage of those hot rods are driven by old leo with seniority with walkers!

[Maximumbob54]

I guess that saying about everything being bigger in Texas is true. Including their fuel budget. If I did 85 in my car I would get close to ten miles per gallon less. I-95 is 75MPH and I used to be in the “Gotta go faster” crowd. Now I go five under the limit. I went from being happy with getting in the low thirties for miles per gallon and now I average in the low forties. And I see people in Prius’s and Smart’s flying by me. But then that isn’t much better than the people flying down the road in any other tiny coffin on wheels car. I can’t fathom how it must feel to fill up that Suburban or Excursion with a forth plus gallon tank. With my dwindling budget I may slow down to 55 soon. I can afford to wake up five minutes early but I can’t keep paying just to drive faster. More power to you if you are an 85 guy though. I will stay to the far right if you will stick with the far left lane.

[perrazi]

in iowa the speed limit on the interstates used to be 75. during that time it was 70 daylight on 2 lanes and 60 at night. things moved fine. the lower speed limits are a tactic by the states to increase revenue and by insurance companies for an excuse to raise rates. as stated earlier slow speeds also cause increased drowziness.

[feralmerril]

All my life I heard to get good gas mileage you had to go slow. You cant prove it by me and the vehicles I have owned! Now that just might be because of the type vehicles I always bought. I swear the ones I owned in quite a few years now got better MPG the faster I drove them. I first noticed it with a 76 trans am. Then a ford station wagon with the hugest engine they ever had. Now I notice it with our toyota avalon. Probley those small cars with small engines might reward you with slower driveing, but in my experiance these newer large bigger engine cars are tuned to run best at 75 to 85 or so! My avalon has the mpg readout all the time. On the very same highway going and returning on I-15 to mesquite or california I have verified this to know it to be true, at least with my driveing in that vehicle!

[oldman45]

I hope there is a provision in the law requiring tires to be in good condition. A blow out at 85mph can be nasty.

[Sven]

Hmmm. . . About the only time I drive through Texas is when I'm pulling the camper. Then I usually limit myself to about 65mph, even if I'm on the interstate. That Hemi V-8 I stuck in the little Jeep could do it. I suppose I could re-pack the wheel bearings and tighten down another turn on the sway control and give 'er a whirl. . .

[truckemup97]

I have almost no problem with it. I say almost, because it will make the speed differential between trucks and cars that much greater. There are a lot of folks out there who have no idea how to drive around trucks, or just think trucks are big, slow, unnecessary, and in the way. I drive my truck at a pretty steady 60 MPH. Someone doing five over is going to be going half again as fast as I am. That may be too much. However, if you've ever driven between Sierra Blanca and El Paso, you already know most folks are going 85+ now.

[bitstream]

Originally Posted by P&R Fan

One major problem I can forsee is deer-car accidents. I don't know how common they are in Texas, but in some states they are a major problem. The last deer I hit was in Oklahoma in the early '90s. I was driving a Mazda Protege, basically a sporty Ford Escort. I was doing about 90 MPH when I hit a huge buck. $4000 damage to the car, severe case of death to the buck.

Out in West Texas on I-10, you don't have to worry about deer much. There isn't even a bush bigger than your knees. The only hazards are other cars, the heat & sun, and sheer boredom. I don't think a deer could live off the tiny amount of vegetation you could find. After you pull out of Sonora, it's just a long, long stretch until you see the lights of El Paso. (BTW, slow down when going thru Sonora, the Sheriff there makes his living off issuing speeding tickets on the highway, my Father-in-Law didn't listen to me and got nabbed once).

[MKT]

The speed limit for the last few years has been 80mph from a little east of El Paso all the way east to about Kerrville on I-10 and east to Midland/Odessa on I-20 IIRC. I have also observed that the Troopers don't give much if any leeway in the 80 mph zones, if anything over 80 they were hitting the median on you from my observations. Having the new limit at 85 puts those stretches on Interstate right in my comfort zone for easy driving and with my prior observations of enforcement actions with the speed limit at 80 I doubt you'd need to factor in any 5-10 over before a ticket. Basically, in West Texas 80 means 80 (soon to be 85 means 85).

[Raider]

I do some driving on the Interstates between Houston and San Antonio and Hou to Dallas. Speed limit is 70 but I usually do 75 to 85 on straight stretches in daylight where I can see. My car is old, a 97 Ford Crown Vic in excellent condition. It averages 27 mpg at 80+ and the mpg drops down to slightly more than 20mgp at 55 miles per hour and under. So much for slow speeds giving greater gas mileage, at least for me. I for one will be happy for the state to raise the speed limit.

My .02

Charlie

[Onomea]

Originally Posted by P&R Fan

.. Can you see a Prius driver going 85? ...

In 2007, Al Gore's son was arrested for going 100 MPH in a Prius, but maybe he was goin' downhill...

[armadillo]

Originally Posted by MKT

The speed limit for the last few years has been 80mph from a little east of El Paso all the way east to about Kerrville on I-10 and east to Midland/Odessa on I-20 IIRC. I have also observed that the Troopers don't give much if any leeway in the 80 mph zones, if anything over 80 they were hitting the median on you from my observations. Having the new limit at 85 puts those stretches on Interstate right in my comfort zone for easy driving and with my prior observations of enforcement actions with the speed limit at 80 I doubt you'd need to factor in any 5-10 over before a ticket. Basically, in West Texas 80 means 80 (soon to be 85 means 85).

The current 80mph limit is only for 4-wheelers. Trucks still have to stick to 70mph. At night all traffic is limited to 65mph.

There was some talk of doing away with the lower night speed limit, but I haven't heard of any progress.

[Cyrano]

Shouldn't be any problem. I often drive that stretch of I-10 when going to the gun shows in Houston or San Antonio. The speed limit is 80 from just east of El Paso to about Kerrville. There's very little traffic and easy curves and hills, another 5 MPH won't be any difficulty. There are LOTS of deer from about Sonora to Kerrville, (west of Sonora it soon gets too dry), and if driving in the dawn or evening twilight, you'd have to keep a pretty good lookout for them.

[Knightrider03m]

Originally Posted by P&R Fan

The cars they make today, with a few exceptions, are not engineered to go that fast on a regular basis. Can you see a Prius driver going 85?
One major problem I can forsee is deer-car accidents. I don't know how common they are in Texas, but in some states they are a major problem. The last deer I hit was in Oklahoma in the early '90s. I was driving a Mazda Protege, basically a sporty Ford Escort. I was doing about 90 MPH when I hit a huge buck. $4000 damage to the car, severe case of death to the buck.
I used to like to drive REALLY fast all the time. Not so much anymore. On Hwy I-380 here in Iowa the speed limit is now 70, used to be 65. Most of the time I go a half hour on it before I realize I can go 70.
You don't suppose I grew up.......Do you?

???

Today, cars are much better at going at high speeds longer. I once drove my 2010 V6 Jeep at 105MPH for a good 6-7 miles. Although, I was burning a gallon of gas per mile (lol), the car was fine afterwards. Had another Ford Expedition running at 110 MPH for 10-12 miles with no ill effect.

I think that having the speed limit at 85 MPH is a little too fast. Most would still run about 70-75 for reasons of gas or just the fact that they don't want to run to fast. Then you have those that are going to still do 70 MPH and just wonder into another drivers lane that is doing 85+ and causing the other drive to hit them or overreact and crash. In other words, people are too stupid to drive that fast. My truck is pretty noticeable at night and people still can't see me

Originally Posted by oldman45

I hope there is a provision in the law requiring tires to be in good condition. A blow out at 85mph can be nasty.

Most states already have requirements on tires... just try to get a LEO to cite a person for it. Plus a tire in "good" condition can have a blow out cause by something that has happen during travel. It has happen to me before on tires that were less than 5000 miles with no bulges or any other signs of wear prior to the blow out.

[Fishslayer]

Originally Posted by BillBingham2

What's worse is the young brains think they can but can't.

Let's see, 85 plus 10% puts you mid 90's or so. So the kids who want to speed will now be doing 100+ to show how cool they are.

I bet the number of flip-overs will increase by 25% this year in Texas.

Sad move.

B2

Darwin is lickin' his chops...

[sipowicz]

Maybe Texas need organ donors.

[Maximumbob54]

Cars that get better MPG at higher speed must run on magic and pixie dust. You just don't get high RPM and low MPG. Some newer vehicles can have a CVT instead of a four or five speed tranny but I don't see that helping you out that much. My buddy's vette said he got 28MPG on the highway. He was pretty happy until he did the math after a fill up. Then reality set in. I was also in a rental Chevy Trailblazer that said at 88MPH we were getting 0MPG. That was nice. And the driving faster bit keeps you awake better than driving slower? I'm assuming we mean "highway hypnosis" here and I'm pretty sure you can succumb to that at any speed unless your car is shaking you from going so fast. If anything I think Sipowicz may be hitting the nail on the head. And I also second that Darwin is indeed licking his chops. I’m just scared to see how many retards drag others along with them. Even if cars are made so much better (I don’t think my ’88 F-150 would even do 85 if dropped off a cliff) what is your reaction time at that speed??? How far have you gone in the time it takes your foot to go from gas to brake pedal? I see nothing good about this. Long driving stretches suck bad enough, we don’t need to add so much danger to the boredom.

[luangtom]

It is agreed that these speeds will not give a driver good mileage. However, putting it to 85-mph and enforcing it will not create a problem. Around the perimeter of Atlanta the posted speed-limit is 55-mph to 60-mph, depending upon which part of the loop yer on. Driving at 80-mph to flow with the traffic in not unheard of. So, to post rural West-Texas at 85-mph and enforcing it is not at all out of the realm of what will work.

I live a half-mile off I-985, which is North of the perimeter, and no one drives the posted speed of 70-mph.

[wbraswell]

How long before the feds start threatening to pull their highway funds, until they lower it?

[truckemup97]

"Cars aren't supposed to go that fast" I've had at least four vehicles that would do 125+ for extended periods of time. None of them were modified or considered sports cars.

And as to the kids killin' themselves, it's been going on for years. For every one that dies, there's a few hundred like me that drove fast and/or recklessly and lived. And a few of us learned from it and became better drivers.

[jdh]

All the doomsayers worrying about a law that hasn't even been passed yet, that will not apply to existing roads only roads engineered for the higher speeds and completed after the effective date of the law, IF it ever does pass.

Cars have been built for decades that are safe and efficient at higher speeds. The death rate has been falling in the US for years as automakers build cars with energy absorbing zones, passive restraint systems, and dynamic control systems.

These arguments sound very much like those "blood will flow in the streets" chants used by the anti-gun fanatics opposed to concealed carry laws.

[captorquewrench]

"Cars aren't supposed to go that fast"

My car should never, ever find this out.

Ever.


Really...certain parts of I-10, as already discussed, should be OK.

But as someone who worked in P&C insurance for many years, however, I am more concerned with the dangers in differences of speed than actual speed limit. Someone NOT hanging in traffic to go with the flow, either much slower or faster, is much more dangerous than everyone speeding up 5MPH. I don't care if the speed limit is 65. If everyone is doing 75, including the cop behind me, I'm pushing my little squirrels under the hood to run harder keep up. I tend to think from all the accident and claim reports I saw...it's safer. Drivers are more prone to misjudge each others' speed and actions and reaction time when the difference becomes more pronounced.

[Road Rat]

Well now, that wouldn't be too bad between Dallas/Fort Worth and El Paso.........but, as for the rest of the state that seems to be a bit too rapid!!

But, what the hay....most folks are doing that now!!

When I lived in California that is the speed I cruised at on I5 between Sacramento and The Grapevine.

However, above 80 MPH things happen real fast when they go wrong!!!!!!!

[Capt Steve]

There will always be folks that just "have" to drive significantly faster than the posted limit. The thought of these chuckleheads blowing by me at 90+ when I am in the right lane doing 60 pulling my trailer is not pleasant. Many states restrict anyone towing anything to 55, obviously Texas is not one of them. If you want a cheap thrill spend some time towing in California on the interstates where 20+ over the limit (which is either 70 or 75), is the norm with trucks and tows going 60.

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I've covered a few miles in my years, and seen a few things on the highways, with few tickets and no collisions. The idea that today's cars can't take a solid diet of 85 mph is ludicrous, and many of us know it. My 1988 Camry spent plenty of time doing that, and, while I may have taken some life off of the engine, it's hard to tell for sure, since it was still running fine when I deserted it with terminal rust at about 357K miles.

Concerning safety, everything depends on the roads and the drivers and, of course, the police. There are limited-access roads near urban MA where it is safe to drive 85 or 60, your choice as long as you stick to the correct lane, and most drivers do. I know that, because I have done both for about five years each. I will say that MA drivers tailgate horribly, but they don't seem to have many accidents doing it. I have also found spots in the South on I-95 where the left lane was moving pretty fast.

Now, I understand that saying that 85 mph can sometimes be safe and saying that an 85-mph speed limit is safe may be two different things, but I'll let the LEOs comment on that. Some already have.

[jeepjeepwhat]

I did a cross county trip last spring from Portland Oregon to Maryland, and I have to say that I'm in favor of higher speed limits in some areas. I'm also a big supporter of divided lanes as well in higher speed areas. I'm not saying that higher speed limits belong everywhere, but there are def a lot of good areas for it.

There is a place for everything.

[captorquewrench]

The Wrench is much more afraid of a soccer mom with 5 kids in the back of a Suburban and an accessory dog in her lap while talking on a cell phone than she is of someone doing 5 or 10 MPH over posted limits.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by oldman45

I hope there is a provision in the law requiring tires to be in good condition. A blow out at 85mph can be nasty.

Texas does require annual vehicle inspections, to include tires; however, it is really a matter of individual responsibility and common sense. If you are stupid enough to drive 85 on bad tires, you probably deserve what happens. The stretch of I-10 from Kerrville to El Paso is currently 80mph and will probably be raised to 85. It is over 400 miles of flat nothing with mild to occasional moderate traffic. Driving I-35 between say San Antonio and Dallas will never be 85mph. you could not drive that fast because of the thousands of Mexican and other 18 wheelers. Big truck traffic density is unbelievable at times.

[Capt Steve]

Originally Posted by Harrison

If you are stupid enough to drive 85 on bad tires, you probably deserve what happens.

I agree up to a point....but I don't deserve something bad happening to me because someone else is a moron. The shallow end of the gene pool definitely needs a large dose of chlorine.

[wbraswell]

We like to call it "thinning the herd."

[bmcgilvray]

Y'all do the dithering but I'll take advantage of 85 mph on those long stretches.

[CAJUNLAWYER]

My sweet spot is around 70-75 for interstate and in all honesty on the two lane hwy's I usually tavel, I'm doing 50-55. My son gives me grief over it! Anything over 75 and it's tough to slam on the brakes and stop a suburban and even more so when towing a boat. Maybe if I win the lottery and buy me a Carrera then I'll open her up.

[oldman45]

MPG is not a real consideration. Recent production vehicles will get better MPG at 85 than the vehicles of the 70's did at 55.

However I do not know of any vehicle that gets better MPG at 85 than it will at 65.

Raising the speed limits will be good for my business. Bad tires blow really easy at high speed and that will cause rollovers, loss of control and injury. Someone will want to know what caused the accident and they will bring me in to tell the courts what happened.

They also just raised the limit to 75MPH on I-49 in DeSoto Parish, LA

[MK]

Originally Posted by armadillo

The current 80mph limit is only for 4-wheelers. Trucks still have to stick to 70mph. At night all traffic is limited to 65mph.

There was some talk of doing away with the lower night speed limit, but I haven't heard of any progress.

It passed the house.. If this new law goes into effect, they will
be dropping the 65 mph night limit, and many highways in rural
areas will go to 75 mph. But that depends on the highway in question
being rated as safe at that speed. Naturally it will vary.
But I'm a happy camper if they do away with 65 mph at night.
I've always thought that was fairly silly on the interstates which are
perfectly safe at 70 mph at night. That law goes back to a time when
headlights were not as effective as they are these days.

You do see the deer on the TX highways, but more on the two lanes
in certain places, than on the open interstates.
There are a load of them at times in the TX hill country, and you
have to be on your toes. I've been through there when there were
herds of them. And being as dry as it has been lately, they are
probably pretty active out there now. They will start hitting the grass
along the highways when their usual fare dries up.

I drive I-45 a lot at night going up to OK, and I don't see all that
many on 45.. Maybe because they have more to eat off the highways.
If they drop the 65 limit at night, that should chop at least 20 min
off my trip time. Out of that 450 mile trip, about 350's worth is in TX.
OK is 70 day or night. I do exactly the speed limits.. In the right lane unless I'm passing..
I'm too cheap to deal with speeding tickets and insurance hikes.
What's kind of weird is I seem to remember 80 mph limits being pretty
common back in the late 50's, early 60's. Even on two lane highways.
With those old cars and the speeds, I imagine they had some pretty
grisly wrecks from time to time.
No crumple zones, air bags, etc on cars back then. If you had a head on
at 80 mph, I imagine you were usually toast.

[marlin58]

I think I would like Texas....we got so many damn laws in Canada curtailing our freedoms you can't fart without getting a ticket......we got lots of oil and water though and it sure ain't Kandahar or Baghdad so could always be worse I guess.
P.S. here in Alberta.CA, the speed limit is 70mph but everyone I see passing me is doing at least 95!