By Leftlane Staff
Tuesday, Jul 11th, 2006 @ 9:11 am

In the period between 1995 and 2005, the overall U.S. highway fatality rate has fallen 16 percent, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The data is particularly interesting, because in 1995 Congress repealed the national “double nickel” 55 mph speed limit. Many states have since raised their limits to anywhere from 70 to 80 mph. Before Congress scrapped the limit, advocate Ralph Nader claimed that “history will never forgive Congress for this assault on the sanctity of human life.” Meanwhile, Judith Stone predicted that there would be “6,400 added highway fatalities a year and millions of more injuries,” and Federico Pena, Secretary of Transportation, declared: “Allowing speed limits to rise above 55 simply means that more Americans will die and be injured on our highways.”

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