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Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Speed limit increases are killing thousands of Americans, IIHS study finds

Nathan Bomey
USA TODAY

Increased speed limits have killed nearly 37,000 people over the last 25 years, according to new research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

While experts remain concerned about traffic crash deaths caused by alcohol, cellphone use and drugged driving, speeding is a significant safety crisis on American roads.

In 2017 alone, about 1,934 were killed because of increased speed limits, IIHS found. 

"Every time you raise speed limits, you see more deaths," said IIHS vice president for research and statistical services Charles Farmer, who conducted the study. "Sure, you save a little bit of time driving, but there’s this trade-off that you have to admit is there and decide whether or not it’s worth it."

The study concluded that a 5 mph increase in the speed limit causes an 8% increase in death rates on interstates and freeways. It causes a 3% increase in deaths on other roads.

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No speed limits?:What it was like when states had no speed limits

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 9,717 people were killed in 2017 in crashes that involved speeding, accounting for more than 1 in 4 deaths on the road.

To bring attention to the safety crisis, IIHS is gathering officials at a summit in Charlottesville, Virginia, later this month to evaluate solutions.

A two-lane highway in Nevada's Valley of Fire. The state is known for its empty highways -- and once had no speed limit

The study casts doubt on the usual justification for increased speed limits, which is that "increases simply bring the law in line with reality, since most drivers exceed the limit," IIHS said. "Once the limit is raised, however, drivers go even faster."

Texas leads the nation with the highest speed limit: 85 mph on some roads. Six states have roads with a speed limit of 80 mph. Altogether, 41 states have roads with speed limits of at least 70 mph.

"It’s going to be hard to reverse any of these," Farmer said. "What I’d really like to see is that we just stop talking about raising them. I think they’re high enough."

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.

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