Driving steadily at a slower freeway speed (until about 45 mph) is the best way to conserve fuel. But setting a speed limit that may not be followed by others is not the same as having everyone else drive at 55. Driving slower is an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas. Setting the speed limit lower is ineffective.

It would be great if people could be made to follow a 55 mph speed limit. Or a 45 mph one would be even better. Then cars could be built with smaller engines, less material for the crash zones, and so on, making the cars lighter. This in turn allows for engines to be even smaller (and even more fuel efficient). If this cycle continues enough, significant cost reductions to electric vehicles could result, as the need for expensive batteries would be diminished. And our cities would probably also be built closer together with a lower speed limit, allowing rail transit to be a more feasible option for many.

Great idea. Good luck getting it to work....

we should all be riding motorcycles - you can rock 75 mph and still get 60+ miles to the gallon. Also, a great percentage of CTs highways are 55 mph still...but dont think that slows anyone down. I think making more efficient vehicles, and giving consumers incentive to buy, would be more effective then downgrading to 55 mph again.

Driving 55 would make driving less viable so people wouldn't drive as much. Perfect!

It's simple, if you want to save gas by driving 55 you are free to do so. Just stay out of the left lane. If the gov't makes it law...I would just fly more.

Karl and George I don't know where you live but Chicago is like CT (and every other place I have ever lived) only a small percentage of people follow the posted speed limits.

Around Chicago there are no speed limits that are more than 55 but that does not stop the majority of traffic from doing 65 to 70 with a small, but notable. portion doing 80 or more (even the Prius drivers).

To me what seems most wasteful is when two (or worse yet three) people going near the speed limit try to pass one another or are just not driving in the right lane. This causes cars to start piling up behind them. Once this "rolling road block" breaks up the traffic behind them invariably slams on the accelerator to make it back up to the speed they wanted to be at and then some to "catch up" to where they should be.

All I have to say is "Slower Traffic Keep Right", "Drive it like you stole it" or take public transportation. I will find another way to offset my consumption.

It's simple, if you want to save gas by driving 55 you are free to do so. Just stay out of the left lane. If the gov't makes it law...I would just fly more.

Really? You have a personal helicopter for trips to the convenience store?

Guess we shouldn't have speed limits, huh. Everyone just go as fast as they want.

I agree that most Americans will not be thrilled with this idea. I was in that camp a couple of years ago, too. But now that I have made it my goal to get at least the EPA rated highway mileage during my commutes to and from work, I have realized that it would be very good to be back down at 55. I prefer 55mph, but it's near impossible to drive at that speed around here. The highway that I travel on daily has a speed limit of 55 halfway and 60 for the other half. I find that I anger most fellow drivers if I'm driving less than 5 miles over the limit. That really makes it tough to go as slow as I want.

If your goal is to destroy any hope of a green movement among the general populace in great numbers, by all means, do this.

It's political suicide to screw around with the laws where the penalty for breaking the law encourages over-enforcement by over zealous police officers forced by their municipality to increase revenues.

Speed traps will become overly popular, and good solid global warming initiatives will be nuked out the back door by people running on platforms of 'rabble rabble FREEDOM rabble rabble SPEED LIMIIT INCREASE' etc.

Not a good idea.

"A great percentage of CTs highways are 55 mph still...but dont think that slows anyone down. I think making more efficient vehicles, and giving consumers incentive to buy, would be more effective then downgrading to 55 mph again."

Thank you. Rolling back to 55 across the board is a hugely naive, ridiculous and stupid idea.

Here in Denver, where city highways already suffer daily from horrid congestion and crappy drivers, has 55 mph speed limits.

Guess what? THEY DON'T WORK.

It doesn't matter how many people are given tickets each day; it doesn't deter everyone else from going fast. And it shouldn't. 55 mph speed limits are unrealistic and only cause problems.

Think about it - would you rather have fuel-efficient vehicles traveling at reasonable rates (70 mph, for instance), or hundreds of cars idling, traveling 3-5 mph because of congestion on highways? Which scenario do YOU think actually increases emissions and is more damaging to the environment?

Also, if you think there's going to be a revolution in the way cities are built and that cars should become slower...you're out of your mind. I love traveling to England (I plan on emigrating within the next 2-3 years), where cities are closer, cars are smaller and there's less petrol use. However, the U.S. is VASTLY bigger and cities are just more disconnected. Fast travel is essential.

Anyway, I'm done. Unbelievable the things some people think up. Geez

ABSOLUTELY NOT

Look, I've said it before and I'll say it again, your wind resistance exponential growth argument doesn't work! It all depends on the engine's power curve more than anything else... My car gets it's best mileage at 75.

Also, its the start and stop, sitting in traffic which hurts non-hybrid cars efficiency more than high speeds.

If you really want to lessen car pollution, then its about traffic circles, so cars don't have to sit there and stop.

I say bring on the 55MPH. The difference over a 100 mile trip is a whopping 15 minutes. Plus, it was my pops who came up with "55 Saves LIves" as a writer for the California Dept of Highways way back when so I've a vested interest in returning to his glory days. Heh.

Anyway, I'm done. Unbelievable the things some people think up. Geez

How is it "unbelievable"? We had a 55 mph limit for a very long time, and as far as I can tell, the world didn't come to an end.

While it is true that the peak efficiency of an automobile depends on which gear you are in, there is simply the unavoidable truth that wind resistance scales as the square of the speed you are traveling. I don't think that many cars see their peak efficiencies at 75, most are probably nearer to 55-60 mph when you are in a comfortable mid-range RPM in the highest gear. If highway speeds were maximized at 55, this would give the auto industry a firmer set-point to optimize engine performance across the board.

I have just recently started driving between 65-70 rather than 75-80 (speed limits in MI are usually 70 mph). I've noticed that my perspective on the road has changed significantly, including viewing trucks more as fellow vehicles than obstructions as I did before. On many midwestern highways, the primary backup-generators are groups of fast-moving vehicles getting hung up by trucks passing one another. But, if cars and trucks traveled at roughly the same speeds, these situations would occur much less frequently, helping to alleviate slowdowns that plague the roads most Friday evenings.

Bad idea.

Raise gas prices to $5/gallon and the idiots who fly by me at 70 mph will slow the hell down just to save money.

When I have to drive my car because the weather makes my scooter impractical, I take the highway and set my cruise control for 55 mph. Yeah, it pisses some people off, but I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing it for my as-yet-unborn child.

Besides, it's a lot less stress having everyone else pass me than trying to pass everyone else.

Lowering speed limits will only spread bad will amongst non-treehuggers.

"How is it "unbelievable"? We had a 55 mph limit for a very long time, and as far as I can tell, the world didn't come to an end."

You're right. People just kept driving faster. Especially me.

Good idea.

Gas prices are $9 a gallon here in the UK, yet everyone still canes it around at 80-90, and in increasingly bigger cars.

You guys in the states have already had it at 55, so maybe you can get used to it again :)

It's all about 'Global Leadership' now isn't it? What an amazing example this could set...

HIghways within the city of Cincinnati are signed at 55 MPH (and I-75 actually has a minimum speed of 35 or 45 if I recall correctly), but no one obeys. I try not to speed, becase I don't like breaking the law and some of the segments within the city are really curvy and dangerous, but it is impossible to drive the speed limit when even the semi-trucks in the slow lane are speeding. First worry about enforcing the currently law, at all times. If people don't learn to slow down after they get a ticket and see cops constantly monitoring the roads, then nothing will teach them.

Enforce the rules we have now. 55 to 65 is common around Illinois and I have no problem with that. I usually stay within 5 of the limit. If you decide to drive 55 all the time on the highway keep right except to pass and if you are at the limit remember it's not your job to enforce the speed limit.Blocking the left lane leads to road rage and wreckless driving on the part of other drivers.

You're right. People just kept driving faster. Especially me.

I have a strong inkling you were in your nappies and sucking on a binky back when the 55 limit got lifted.

Negatory on the 55, dudes. Very lame.

Why not address the disease instead of the symptom? The problem is we have 12mpg SUV's churning down the highway at 80mph.

Why make everyone suffer for that excess?

Why not make the rule that you've got to be doing 40mpg, or 100mpg?

Speed's not the issue, consumption & emission are!

For those who complain about suv and there owners.I live in a very rural setting.Suv and trucks are quite common.Most cars in the area are older.With good reason.Newer models are not able to withstand abuse/use.Think about that.Many of us require transport that can tow/haul great loads.Go ahead raise the price of gas.We only pass the cost down the chain.

As to the speed limit.Knock it back i will do the 55.

My secondary mode of transport is a 600cc honda

You can not change other,just yourself.Badgering other is not the way.

It's quite simple to enforce speed limits. Just use speed cameras, which are common in the UK but rare in the US. Use mobile speed camera vans rather than fixed cameras so that people don't know where the speed cameras are located. Using speed cameras would make 55 mph easy to enforce, and if properly run everyone would drive at 55 mph.

And how much gas will lowering the speed limit save? Go 55 if you want, that's the minimum speed on most highways...But why must you make everyone else? Why not push for better public transit than speed limits? Start championing high speed rail between cities, down the highway median.

Public transport is not a real option in my area.Rural settings are not good for that.It may work in cites.But in the bfe we will use quads/bikes and motercycles.

Rock the 55, put 10% of speeding fines toward the environment... carbon offsets, planting trees along desolate highways, etc. We'll have a beautiful America in no time.

Speeders act like it's their right. What about the rights of everyone else? If you speed, you are breaking the law becuase you are endangering the public. I know you think you are a good driver, but I know some of you are not.

The lack of consideration speeders exhibit is dumbfounding. If people acted the same way outside of their cars as they do while driving them, their would be a lot more ass kicking going on.

Personally, I love torturing speeders with slow driving. Their immature restless impatience cracks me up. Time to grow up, people. You're not 16 any more.

Check out this one-minute video about Eco-Driving, "Light on the Pedal, Light on the Planet":
http://truths.treehugger.com/video/contest_entry_light_on_the_ped.php or
http://next.video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=f2556652-9ce7-44d6-8664-8ff2fca8d551

HOW we drive is as important as the choice of WHAT to drive (which has been getting all the attention) -- but car-purchasing decisions occur once a half-decade at best, while the choice of how to drive is made in every moment we are behind the wheel. Driving at, say, 55 mph instead of 65 mph on urban freeways will reduce fuel consumption, with all of its emissions and other externalities, by some 10 percent. Slowing to 50 while driving up sustained long hills will save even more. Accelerating gradually instead of forcefully on freeways, highways and surface streets also will reduce fuel consumption and emissions, as will gradually slowing in advance of red and yellow traffic lights ahead.

This is because fuel economy declines rapidly after 45 or 50 mph in the cars that continue to comprise the vast majority of the fleet. The average car uses some 17 percent more gas when you drive it at 65 mph than at 55 mph, and about 25 percent more gas at 70 mph. Another way to put it is, you can improve your gas mileage 15 to 20 percent by driving 55 mph rather than 65 mph. Some estimates suggest that fuel economy decreases by 2 percent for each 1 mph increase in speed over 55 mph; above 65 mph, the rate of decrease is even greater. The benefits of fuel-efficient driving will be the greatest in guzzlers.

I call it ECO-DRIVING: consciously-fuel-efficient driving that reduces gasoline consumption and its emissions. Eco-Driving also will help move the driving environment back toward the more moderate, more polite, and less-road rageful conditions of the past.

Driving this way will also spare some two- and four-legged pedestrians grievous injuries and death.

Automotive mileage improvements are typically seen as the province of automotive engineers and car manufacturers, policy makers, and auto purchasers. Rarely remarked upon is the ability -- and, I think, the duty -- of individual drivers to play the very considerable role they can to reduce global warming emissions, along with fossil energy dependence and energy insecurity, oil wars, road carnage, local air pollution, and growing trade imbalances.

Increasing the collective automotive mileage of the United States by just one mile per gallon would eliminate the need for drilling into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- and increasing the U.S.'s collective mileage by some seven mpg would wean the U.S. off of Middle-Eastern oil, says Robert Kennedy, Jr. of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Eco-Driving -- if it becomes a trend and a commonly observed best practice -- will accomplish this saving and a lot more!

Anyone who claims to care about the environment -- or the country -- who drives a car can do one very simple thing almost every minute they are behind the wheel: slow down! Slower is greener, whatever car you are driving.

Gregory Wright greg@newciv.org

Of course 55 M.P.H. will save energy, thats why oil Republicans don't want it back. But even more important, 40,000 people are killed by vehicles each year. The real enemy is speed, not terrorists. Personally, I think anyone that sings "I can't drive 55", should be shot.

Siva Krishna

If the limits went back down to 55mph

Less gas used

more lives lived

lower blood pressure for
the roadragers,tailgaiters and aggressors

Less white knuckles
for the timid

fewer=honkers honking

A more civilized freeway.

YES! The citizens of the U.S. have the responsibility to do the most to get better fuel economy. I would like New Hampshire to lower its speed limit on the highways and interstates to 55 mph.
My questions is:Is there any safety data that is published and peer-reviewed that shows evidence that driving at 55 mph is dangerous when driving in the right lane on highways posted 65 mph? Anecdotal remarks in the form of criticism and emotional reaction do not serve as actual data.

You know you can have the 55 mph experience by taking it easy and driving in the right lane. These days I do that most nights on my way home from work. It does take a few minutes longer but it gives me time to relax than race the other drivers. I've never had anyone blow their horm at me for doing the speed limit in the right lane. Just do it and relax, knowing that you're doing your part by driving safely, efficiently and out of the way of more dangerous traffic.