If you already think people drive too fast on Florida's highways, you probably won't be in favor of a new proposal in Tallahassee to raise highway speed limits to 75 mph.
AAA blasted the idea Tuesday, stating it will lead to more deaths.
"We're deeply concerned for the safety of Florida's roadway users with cars traveling at increasingly higher speeds on our interstates and other highways,” said Kevin Bakewell, AAA's senior vice president and chief public affairs officer. "Based upon similar action in other states, this change in state law will likely result in more crashes, injuries and deaths on our highways."
Some people said the higher the speed limit, the faster speeders will drive. The bill's co-sponsor, state Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, claims setting the speed limit at 75 mph would actually make Florida's highways safer.
The bill is known as SB 392 in the Senate and HB 761 in the House.
As we watched drivers on Florida's Turnpike on Tuesday, we saw plenty of people changing lanes and passing slower drivers.
"If you do manage to get out in the fast lane, then all the sudden, you've got somebody flying," said Rob Skoke, who was driving home from Tennessee.
"I've been driving for 60 years, and I've seen so many accidents because of people being in that left lane," said Wayne Putnam, of Mexico Beach.
According to Sen. Brandes, 75 mph is the safest speed at which to drive based on speeds at which drivers are actually traveling.
However, AAA warned higher speed limits could result in more crashes, injuries and deaths based on what they've seen in 16 other states ▼ where speed limits are higher than 70 mph, the current maximum in Florida, including parts of the Turnpike and I-4.
"In many other states, AAA has said as long as traffic studies are being done, they are OK with an increase in speed limits," said Brandes. "So, I don't know why they are OK in other states and not in Florida."
AAA is based in Heathrow, in Seminole County.
Many drivers we spoke with Tuesday said they supported the increase to a 75 mph speed limit.
"These roads are straight; they are level. Cars today are built to go a lot faster than they were years ago, when speed limits were set," argued August Martos, from Pennsylvania. "I think it's perfectly safe. I think people can handle 75."
Others, like Florida native Leah Michaels, said higher speed limits would just lead to speeders driving even faster.
"The left-hand lane is already averaging 10 mph over the speed limit," said Michaels. "That hasn't changed, no matter what the speed limit has been, for 10 years. So then, you are basically advocating going at least that."
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said speed is a factor in 30 percent of traffic fatalities. Their data shows those numbers were higher in states with higher speed limits.
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.