How about a 55 mph speed limit to save gas?
By Dan Tilkin and KATU Web StaffPORTLAND, Ore. – As the country struggles with record-high gas prices, some are taking another look at a rarely mentioned energy fix: dropping the nationwide speed limit to 55 mph. Such a move is typically left out of the discussion because politically it is not going to win a lot of votes. But it's been done before. In the energy crisis of the 1970s, Congress passed legislation limiting the speed limit to 55 mph as a way to conserve fuel. The move helped curb fuel consumption for the first time in American post-war history between 1974 and 1984. According to the federal Energy Department, for every 5 mph you drive over 60 mph, it costs you about 20 cents more per gallon. Earl Baker of AAA Oregon said a driver traveling 65 mph is going to use 10 percent more fuel than the guy who drives 55 mph, though the faster driver will get to a destination about 6 minutes and 30 seconds earlier. When it comes to energy savings, there are plenty who discount the effect of dropping the speed limit. Some point to a study from the Heritage Foundation in the mid-1980s showing it is very difficult to enforce the 55 mph limit and that gas consumption was only cut by 1 percent under the move. But clearly most drivers would like to get the best gas mileage they could. For tips on driving more efficiently, click here. To read more from a group that wants people to drive 55 mph, click here. |
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