Speed bill hits Senate

A bill the Indiana House passed on to the Senate Tuesday might allow Hoosiers to drive even faster. \nThe bill would raise speed limits on interstates from 65 to 70 mph, and from 55 to 60 mph on four-lane state highways. Multiple versions of bills intending to raise Indiana's speed limit have circulated the House over the past few years but have failed to go on to the Senate. The current bill met Tuesday's deadline to be sent forward.\n Although the bill has cleared the House, the Senate should reconsider it. Ultimately, a speed limit is just a number, and people are prone to drive at whatever speed they like, whether that is 55 or 60. Someone who feels comfortable driving 75 mph may not slow down just because a sign says that the speed limit is 55 mph. Therefore, raising the speed limit by five miles an hour might not affect anyone's driving habits.\nSince the danger of driving increases with speed, it seems that the bill would compromise Hoosiers' safety. Florida and Georgia drivers can legally cruise interstate highways at 70 mph without worries, but their roads are not subject to the ice, snow and sleet that fall on Indiana. Nor do those sunshine states see the road damage that freezing and thawing can cause. Between the sky above and the road below, driving in Indiana can be a precarious matter. \nMoreover, boosting the speed limit would adversely affect the economy. Since the bill won't raise ticket fines for those exceeding the new limits, there will be less funds in state coffers. A 55 mph speed limit might be a pain for college students on a road trip or drive home, but the funding for state programs provided by speeders more than makes up for the pain law-abiding students face during a long drive. If driving 60 mph on the highway becomes legal, the state would lose a considerable amount of funding that it sorely needs, because people driving that fast will no longer be pulled over and ticketed. \nWhile there might be some benefits to driving faster, other factors, such as safety and economic issues, need to be considered. Before the Senate can even begin to think of passing this bill, it will need to pay attention to these details.