Lawmaker explains his new bill raising speed limits

Highway speed limits could increase from 70 to 75 miles an hour in Missouri if leaders approve a bill just filed in the state legislature.

Rep. Mike Kelley of Lamar is trying to pass House Bill 295. It would let rural interstates increase traffic speeds if the highway consists of four lanes.

“There is a lot of research that shows, not only does it not increase fatalities, there are a lot of arguments that says it actually decreases fatalities, when you have a flow of traffic that is moving on the road without the stop and go, you have a lot less safety issues and a lot fewer accidents,” said Kelley.

In 2012, there were 826 fatal crashes across the state, 76 of those were people from the Troop F area here in Mid-Missouri. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said of those, 320 died when speed was a factor.

ABC 17 News asked drivers what they thought about being able to drive faster on the highway.

“I think most people go 5 miles over the speed limit anyway, and a con would be… I don’t know if there would be, as long as people pay attention while they are driving. Five miles per hour may not make that much difference,” said driver Cheryl Morris.

“There are a lot of bad things when it comes down to speeding in general. I like to go 5 under, and I don’t like to go any over. I have a little one usually and you don’t know who else isn’t paying attention. It’s like how people say, ‘it’s not always how the person is driving, it’s sometimes the other driver.’ You could be going the speed limit, but they could be going way faster than what you are, not paying attention, then something could happen,” said driver China Phelps.

Rep. Kelley said he is just one of many state lawmakers who would be affected by the bill because of the distances some have to drive to get to the Capitol.

“Traveling between our cities on the open areas of interstates could go up to 75; if there is any area MoDOT feels that is not safe, they could make a final determination and change back those speed limits to 70 as they’ve always been able to,” said Rep. Kelley.