If the fatalities go down, it's because their latest campaign was such a great success. Consider this single example. In the 1930's, one-third of all fatal accidents were attributed to vehicle equipment failure, usually tires or brakes. Today, only one to two percent of fatal accidents relate to an equipment failure. Similar results can be witnessed when comparing the fatal accident rates on modern Interstates and the old two-lane highways they replaced.
Speed limits have virtually no influence on regulating general traffic speeds.
The only legitimate function of speed limits is to delineate at what point reasonably competent drivers exceed the safe speed for a given roadway. Speed limits can and should be used to control overall traffic speeds. This myth haunts us like bad breath after a night of beer, pizza, and cigars. Speed limits have virtually no influence on regulating general traffic speeds. The only legitimate function of speed limits is to delineate at what point reasonably competent drivers exceed the safe speed for a given roadway.