Although automobile and truck manufacturers are working feverishly to improve the safety of their products for consumers - adding all kinds of bells and whistles including 'cages', side airbags, 360 degree vision, talking cars and the like - it seems out legislators are set to negate any gains we could possibly make from these new safety devices. How is that you ask?
They have decided to commission studies that would allow for the increase of the speed limit to 85 miles per hour. As anyone who drives knows - this will actually mean 95 miles an hour - and I dare anyone to argue that point.
Who among us does not push the speed limit on the highway having faith that 5 miles over the speed limit is not even something a state trooper will stop you for - and more likely out speedometers hover on the 8-10 miles over the posted speed limit signs.
Any quick (not even in-depth) review of research offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation and other sources will uncover the fact that speed kills (oh, yes, and maims or permanently disfigures).
It does not take an automotive engineer to realize that the faster an object is going when it hits another object the greater the devastation of that impact. Add to this the additional semi-trucks that are expected to be on our roadways in the coming decade and all that I can see is a recipe for disaster.
As a Houston truck accident attorney I have had the all-too-often heartbreaking job of witnessing the aftermath of accidents up close. The fatality statistics for vehicle accidents remains between 30 - 40,000 Americans a year.
Don't forget - many are children. Contact your Texas legislator and let them know you do not support this increase.
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston personal injury attorney and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping personal injury victims seek civil justice. If you would like to speak with a lawyer call the Texas personal injury lawyers at the Baumgartner firm.
