Drivers travel faster than ever for a number of reasons, the experts say. Speed limits have increased in the past decade. Commuting distances have grown. Cars are quieter. Roads are smoother.
Congestion is worse than ever, resulting in a natural urge to forge ahead when traffic permits.
And many motorists ignore speed limits, in part, because they believe the 55-mph zone is artificially low and well below what is safe. The 55-mph limit, which is supposed to govern the Perimeter and the interstates inside, has become meaningless. Department of Transportation sensors along Georgia highways measure speeds and count vehicles throughout the state. In a single day in January, sensors at five locations on metro Atlanta interstates measured more than 13,000 drivers traveling at 86 mph or faster. Those speeding at night are often joy riders like Walker, the 138-mph motorcycle jockey.