SPEED JUST ONE FACTOR IN HIGHWAY DEATHS

Missouri State Highway Patrol officials in Jefferson City say they aren't surprised that the number of traffic fatalities on interstate highways have increased since speed limits were raised in 1996. The connection, however, between speed limits and fatalities may not be airtight.

The Missouri officials can point to a national study that shows a 15 percent increase in highway deaths in the 24 states that raised speed limits after federally mandated limits were lifted, while the fatalities in seven states that kept slower limits had little significant change in deaths on interstate highways.

While these statistics appear to be convincing, there are dozens of other factors that would influence the number of fatalities.

Fuel prices are one example. The cost of gasoline has dropped dramatically since the days of the 55 mph limit set by the federal government as a way to conserve oil consumption. Lower gasoline prices tend to spur an increase in highway driving, which means more highway miles are being driven and an increased likelihood of accidents.

Traffic enforcement is another factor. Although many motorists slowed down significantly when the 55 mph limit was fairly standard across the nation, the fact is few motorists ever drove at exactly 55 mph or below. Instead, most motorists fudged -- encouraged, in a way, by fairly lax law enforcement that allowed the extra speed.

Now that many states have increased speed limits, usually to 70 mph on interstates, the fudge factor is still there. Many motorists feel safe, both from accidents and from speeding tickets, unless they really push a highway patrolman's patience.

If speed really is a direct cause of the increase in interstate fatalities -- and that's what the cited study shows -- then it would seem fairly obvious that there is a need for stricter speed enforcement, not a lower speed limit.

Another factor that must be considered in any study of highway deaths is the physical environment of any given interstate. Some interstates are designed to accommodate faster traffic, while others lack those designs or are not maintained properly. Still other interstates have concrete barriers in the medians to prevent deadly head-on collisions, but many other interstates, including most of those in Missouri outside urban areas, don't.

It is, of course, in everyone's best interest to be concerned about highway fatalities. There are any number of measures that could produce safer interstates. But it is wrong to jump to the conclusion that slower speed limits are the solution.