TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Put Brakes On 55-mph Limit

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 22, 2008

With gas prices soaring to record highs and approval ratings for Congress hovering in the low 20s, there is great temptation for members of Congress to do something. Anything that appears constructive will do, thank you. This apparently is what Sen. John Warner, R-Va., had in mind last week when he suggested the country could save energy by lowering the national speed limit to 55 miles per hour. The idea is a throwback to the 1970s, a piece of nostalgia that isn't worth revisiting.

America has been there and done that - and there is no need to repeat the failed experience. The federal government imposed the 55-mph speed limit during the energy crisis of the 1970s and, despite being in effect for 20 years, virtually no one actually drove at that speed. Those who did were subjected to derision and, on occasion, a one-finger salute.

The 55-mph limit didn't work then, and it won't work now. A uniform standard doesn't work because the country is too large and disparate, ranging from congested urban centers in the East to wide open spaces in Western states. If everyone actually obeyed a 55-mph limit, there undoubtedly would be significant energy savings.

However, the best way to achieve guaranteed energy savings is to produce cars that get better mileage. And the best way to get better mileage out of cars is for Congress to enforce aggressive Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. CAFE standards were first introduced after the Arab oil embargo of 1973-74, and were designed to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.

The initial goal was to double the average mileage of passenger cars to 27.5 mpg by 1985. Since the standards were introduced, cars have gotten bigger and heavier, SUVs have become a consumer favorite and light trucks have evolved from being used strictly as work vehicles to dual use as family and work vehicles. In the intervening years, Congress has tweaked and adjusted the standards, including setting modest goals for SUVs and light trucks.

Just as happened with the oil embargo of the mid-1970s, today's energy crisis has once again drawn attention to the need for more fuel-efficient cars.There is no question that slower speeds will save gasoline. Experience, however, shows that many people, perhaps even most, drive faster than the posted limit. Raising CAFE standards for all passenger cars and trucks is the best way to get the job done. If Congress does that, it will have achieved something.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT