By KANDACE MCCOY
kandace.mccoy@register-news.com
MT. VERNON — A new law takes effect next month increasing the speed limit for semi truck drivers from 55 to 65 miles per hour, but there are differing opinions on whether the new law is a good one.
Wendell Norris of Norris Trucking in Waltonville, said in his 29 years in the business, he feels the law is long overdue.
“If everyone goes the same speed, it has to be safer,” he said. “I think it’s been proven other states’ accident rates went down and I think it will also take a lot of pressure off the drivers. I don’t think a lot of people want to go faster because of the threat of a speeding ticket.”
However, Russ Clendenin, a truck driving instructor for Rend Lake College and former trucker, says he’s not sure if the new law is a good idea.
“It remains to be seen (if it’s a good idea),” he said. “There’s evidence both ways. Uniform speed limits suggest less collisions. On the other hand, increased speed results in more destructive force. So, I’m undecided.”
Clendenin, who also taught for the National Safety Council, said he believes the uniformed speed limit is a myth because “people drive what they want.” However, he said statistics show that accidents involving semi trucks are down. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported there were 4,008 deaths in crashes involving large trucks across the nation, down from 4,613 reported in 2007.
“But I don’t know if the crashes are down because of drivers being more cautious or because the economy is down and people are driving less,” Clendenin said.
He added he believed truckers will more than likely be happy with the new law and see it as a way to get increased mileage. But he said safety is his No. 1 concern.
“I also was a trucker and I can see where it would be appealing by going faster,” Clendenin said. “That may translate into more sleep time, which is also a safety issue. There is no good answer. Fuel efficiency will go down with driving faster. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and asking ‘Is this a good thing or a bad thing?’ I’m really not sure.”
According to the Illinois State Police, 32 percent of all fatal crashes are speed-related, and the number of vehicles operating at higher speeds on 65 mph interstate highways has increased. This has resulted in an increased chance of collision due to increased speed variance and greater risk of fatality resulting from higher crash impact speeds.
