Nevada law opens door to 80 mph speeds

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Land Line / June 16, 2015

A new law in Nevada permits the state highway department to bump the speed limit by 5 mph on certain stretches of road.

Gov. Brian Sandoval signed into law a bill to authorize 80 mph speeds for all vehicles on stretches of highway deemed appropriate by the Nevada Department of Transportation – up from 75 mph.

Sen. Don Gustavson, R-Sparks, has said the change would reflect the top speeds in neighboring Utah and Idaho.

Critics said that increasing the speed limit by 5 mph would likely result in travelers driving in excess of 85 mph.

Gustavson refutes that claim. He said he believes the bump in the speed limit can be made without drivers abusing the new speed. The former truck driver has cited research collected in Utah.

Utah law authorizes 80 mph speeds on rural stretches of interstates and limited-access highways throughout the state.

Addressing concerns about higher speeds, Utah officials have noted that 85 percent of drivers on a test section of I-15 posted at 80 mph since 2009 now drive 83 mph – up from 82 mph before the change.

Truckers have voiced concern that higher speed limits result in a wider disparity between the posted speed and how fast many speed-limited trucks can travel.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association says that roadways are safer when all vehicles are permitted to travel at the same rate of speed.

Mike Matousek, OOIDA director of state legislative affairs, has said that differential speed limits create more interactions between cars and trucks, which can potentially lead to an increase in the number and severity of accidents.

Gustavson shares the same view about keeping car and truck speeds the same.

“The safest policy is one that provides for uniformity in speeds.”

The state DOT could make the switch in posted speeds starting Oct. 1.