The maximum speed limit on Florida highways could go up to 75 mph under a bill passed Thursday in the state Senate.

The Senate voted 27–11, despite concerns by some lawmakers that the higher speed limit would make roads more dangerous.

The measure does not automatically raise the speed limits, but would allow the Florida Department of Transportation to raise maximum speed limits to the following:

  • 75 mph on interstate and limited access highways (currently 70 mph)
  • 70 mph on rural, four-lane divided highways (currently 65 mph)
  • 65 mph on other roads.

The bill still has to approved by the state House before it can head to Gov. Rick Scott's desk, but supporters expect that to happen without the kind of opposition they ran into Thursday from a group of female lawmakers that has been nicknamed the "Gang of Seven." The women fought against the higher speed limits Thursday, but came up short.

Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, who filed the measure, said there was no technical reason drivers shouldn't be allowed to go faster on non-congested roads.

According to Sen. Brandes, 75 mph is the safest speed at which to drive based on speeds at which drivers are actually traveling.

The "Gang of Seven" disagree, arguing it's inevitable that drivers will want to go 5 or 10 mph over the posted speed limit, meaning there could be a flood of cars going 80–85 mph, or even higher.

Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, said those speeds are potentially deadly.

"This is not the German Autobahn. If you want to make it the 'Floridabahn,' you can do that, but that's not the case," said Joyner. "People retire to come here, and we don't want to run over them or frighten them as we often do, especially on the interstate."

Supporters of the higher speed limit say there's no evidence of a link between faster interstate traffic and an increase in crashes, but critics warned there will be if the bill becomes law.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, however, showed speed is a factor in 30 percent of traffic fatalities, and those numbers are higher in states with higher speed limits.

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Speed limits higher than 70 mph in the U.S.

Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety


Note: The speed limit in most of Texas is 75 mph. Sections of I-10 and I-20 in west Texas and sections of Highway 45 in Travis County have a speed limit for passenger cars and light trucks of 80 mph.

Speed limits of up to 85 mph may be established if the highway is originally constructed and designed to accommodate the higher speed and it has been determined by an engineering study to be reasonable and safe.

State Highway 130, a toll road, has a posted limit of 85 mph, effective Oct. 2012.