Change My Mind: I-87’s Speed Limit Needs to be 70 MPH

I'm not Sammy Hagar and this isn't 1984. There's no reason to drive 55 anymore.

For a state that is always in a hurry, New York sure does move slow on their highways. Seriously, what gives? Imagine if you could move a little bit faster on the highway? I know a few mph doesn't seem like a lot but it makes a big difference.

Driving in New York has a lot of challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is dealing with other drivers especially if they are from New Jersey. Another thing is driving like snails on these highways that could move so much faster.

According to Adirondack Northway, most of Interstate 87 is 55 mph but some parts have a speed limit of 35 mph.

Maybe I'm jaded. Up until a few years ago I lived in Michigan where most highways had speed limits of 70 mph. I know it might not seem like much but imagine going 15 mph less on a major highway. Some research suggests the increasing the maximum top speed could cause more injuries but I would argue responsible and cautious driving that may not be the case if drivers drove cautiously and safely as well as the maximum speed. Many drivers have a habit of driving anywhere from 10 mph - 15 mph over the speed limit on average.

What do you think? Is it finally time that we up the top speed limit on highways like I-87 and I-84?

Or should I just leave sooner every morning?