Remember the slogan “55 saves lives”? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does.  Their research is pointing out the deadly results of rising speed limits.  Their study found higher speed limits during the past 25 years have cost nearly 37,000 lives. 

The states set their own speed limits, and 55 is no longer the rule everywhere.  The IIHS says 41 states have maximum speed limits of 70 mph or higher, while you can go 80 mph in 6 states, and if you drive in Texas you can legally drive 85 mph on some roads without seeing blue lights in your rear view mirror.

The IIHS study found a 5 mph increase in the maximum speed limit was associated with an 8-percent increase in the fatality rate on interstates and freeways, and a 3-percent increase on other roads.  That’s how they arrived at the conclusion that speeding contributed to nearly 37,000 deaths. 

They also point out on a 100-mile trip driving 70 instead of 65 really only cuts the drive time by around 6½ minutes.