As the Illinois House prepares to debate a motion to override the governor’s veto of legislation to adopt a uniform speed limit on Illinois rural interstate highways, USDOT statistics show that those states that have adopted a uniform 65 mph speed limit have had a lower fatality rate over the last 10 years than Illinois, according to a Mid-West Truckers Assoc. Inc., news release.

Forty-two states have a uniform speed limit (60, 65, 70 & 75 mph). Of those, 12 states have a uniform 65 mph speed limit. All 12 states have a lower fatality rate than Illinois on their rural interstate highways. Data was compiled from 10 years of Federal Highway Administration statistics detailing the number of fatalities and the annual vehicle miles traveled on rural interstate highways.

Those states with a uniform 65 mph speed limit on rural interstate highways are New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, Virginia and Vermont.

A motion to override the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 540 was approved October 3 by the Illinois Senate and is scheduled for a vote in the Illinois House when lawmakers return October 10.

“Despite the tremendous amount of misinformation circulated regarding the issue, SB 540 affects only rural Illinois interstate highways,” the news release stated. “It does not affect the Chicago metropolitan or Metro-East areas, where all posted speeds will remain at 55 mph or less.”

Safety has been, and will always be the top priority of the trucking industry. Truckers are some of the most regulated workers, required to undergo random drug and alcohol testing, are limited to the number of hours they can drive, and must submit their vehicles to mandatory safety checks at any time — no such laws exist for the everyday automobile driver.

“It is most unfortunate that the opponents of this proposal have used a campaign of misleading statistics and half-truths to portray the entire trucking industry as having little regard for safety,” the news release stated. “Most specifically, the governor’s office and AAA on September 28 accusing the trucking industry of killing more people so they can make faster deliveries.

“To the contrary, it is not the speed that causes accidents, but the constant interaction between cars and trucks on highways that have two different speed limits for two classes of vehicles using one piece of highway. In fact, the AAA of Minnesota and Iowa supported the increase in Iowa’s uniform speed limit to 70 mph, citing a ‘reduction in speed differentials will greatly improve the efficiency and safety of interstate roads.’”


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And I just saw on the news that the house did not overide the gov. veto today. So that means that the speed limit for trucks will remain 55mph. The Gov. said that is the speed limit for trucks was increased that 115 more poeple would die on Illinois roads this year. I think the Gov. needs to do a little more research on the issue before he goes and vetoes the bill again.

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"Look Out I'm Comin Thru"

If IL would enforce the limit on cars there would be less deaths. I've had hundreds/thousands of morons in that state pass me doing an easy 20 and more over the posted 65 for autos. Any time you cross the state very very few autos are doing any thing close to the limit.

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Illinois is a poor state & like many others turns to ticketing as a revenue generator.

You will not see this governor change his tact because they need all the revenue they can get.

Granted, had this legislature (et al) not stolen, squandered & misapropriated what monies they had, the state might be in a better position today.

But then, I could be wrong.

If everyone was smart enough, Owner ops and company drivers can hurt this state and others that have split speed limits. In IL, we are dealing with a governor that is completely stuck on stupid as he is too lazy to drive a car, yet alone, spending over $250,000 a week of IL taxpayers' money to fly on a lear jet from Chicago to Springfield instead of moving into the governor's mansion like everyone else. IMHO, buses should be included to do 55MPH as well, but unlike us, THEY HAVE UNIONS! When will OOIDA wake up and unionize TRUCKERS?

The way to harm IL and others is by patronizing only states with uniform speed limits and no discriminatory practices towards truckers. THIS MEANS:
1.Do not purchase fuel
2.No patronizing of any goods, services or restaurants by these states
3.Avoid toll roads when necessary
4.Depending on issues of "forced dispatch", residing in these nuissance states, REFUSE TO PICK UP / DELIVER LOADS TO THESE STATES!

Until this is done in a wide marginal fashion, nothing can be done until the heat is placed on Congress to make a MANDATORY FEDERAL LAW MAKING IT UNLAWFUL FOR STATES,TOWNS, INSURANCE COMPANIES, ETC TO IMPOSE SPLIT SPEED LIMITS FOR TRUCKS,ETC, OTHERWISE, THESE STATES WILL BE SANTIONED FROM FREIGHT OR TO FIND ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE OF SENDING/RECEIVING FREIGHT!

Sincerely,
WEREWOLF. (A FORMER ILLINOIAN AND DAMN PROUD OF IT!)
truckersboycott.com

PS: These people have no idea that by imposing split speed limits that these states are making the truckers become a PUBLIC NUISSANCE, INVOKING ROAD RAGE AND OTHER UNSAFE DRIVING HABITS BY FOUR WHEELERS AND OTHER NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES!!!!