A new speed limit - unintended consequences

From Salt Lake City television station KSTU:

Freeway speed limit may increase to 80 mph in Utah
A study by the Utah Department of Transportation suggests raising the freeway speed limit from 75 to 80 miles per hour may be a good thing � at least on some stretches of interstate.

When the speed limit went up on four stretches of road between Nephi and Cedar City, accidents went down by 20 percent, according to the three-year study by UDOT.

And the thinking:

The findings were somewhat unexpected, but it appears drivers tend to comply to higher speed limits.

�Everyone naturally goes 75 to 80 miles an hour anyways. So it�s that comfortable speed limit as most people drive on the freeway,� said driver Kyle Taylor.

Makes perfect sense to me. On the trip to Rapid City this summer, we were routinely doing 80 along with everyone else. The big freeways invite that kind of speed. Of course, this is for daylight, dry pavement and perfect visibility.