Motor muscle + speed = highway hazard.(news scan, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety survey of 6 US states)(Brief Article)

Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, January, 2004

Highways are more hazardous today, with drivers barreling down the road in larger vehicles at faster speeds, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Driving habits were studied in six states: Colorado, California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland and New Mexico, as well as in five major cities, from 1996-1999.

Who goes 55 mph anymore? Seventy-eight percent of drivers typically hit speeds of 70 mph, and almost 20 percent are driving faster than 80 mph, the study found.

Another factor pushing faster driving is TV image-making. The ...