Don't Raise the Speed Limit and Risk Missouri Lives

I am in strong opposition to SB1408 (Burger), which seeks to raise the maximum speed limit on rural interstates and freeways from 70 to 75 miles per hour. This legislation prioritizes marginal time savings over the safety of Missourians, and it runs counter to evidence showing that such increases lead to more deaths on our roads. Proponents argue that higher speeds benefit drivers, but the reality is stark. A 2019 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that for every 5 mph a state increases its maximum speed limit, fatalities on interstates and freeways rise by 8.5%. This is not a minor trade-off. It is a predictable, deadly consequence. Raising the limit to 75 mph will put Missouri families at greater risk of catastrophic crashes. The Missouri Department of Transportation has itself quantified the minimal benefit. This change would save drivers roughly five minutes on a 100-mile trip. That is the anticipated cost of this bill: a handful of minutes gained in exchange for a measurable increase in fatalities. MoDOT’s own data from 2025 recorded 911 traffic deaths across the state. We should be working to reduce that number, not passing legislation that will push it higher. This bill also reflects a dangerous mindset that treats public roadways as spaces for maximum speed rather than shared public goods. Higher speeds disproportionately endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and workers on or near highways. They increase stopping distances, reduce reaction time, and make collisions more severe. The science is clear, and the human toll is unacceptable. We should be investing in safety-focused infrastructure, traffic calming measures, and robust transit alternatives, not racing to raise speed limits for negligible time savings. Reject SB1408 and instead prioritize policies that protect the lives of all Missourians.