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Texas truckers who drive near Lubbock can now complete their runs a bit faster. With the passage of House Bill 1353, the 65-mile-per-hour nighttime speed limit and all truck speed limits that once were the law on Lubbock roadways are a thing of the past. The new law took effect September 1. In early November, the Texas Department of Transportation began removing speed limit signs.
More than 2,000 signs that directed how fast Texas trucks could drive in the Lubbock District's 17 county area have been removed, according to Doug Eichorst, Lubbock District Engineer. Work crews started in the northern half of the district and worked their way south, Eichorst said. He expected the work would take about four weeks to complete.
New Speed Limits in Selected Areas
The new legislation has allowed the Texas DOT to consider the feasibility of creating a 75-mile-per-hour speed limit on those parts of the state highway system that are deemed to be reasonable and safe. A study to make those determinations is currently underway. At the present time, most Texas highways have a 70-mile-per-hour speed limit.
The evaluation of the Texas state highway system is expected to be completed in 2013. It will monitor about 50,000 miles of roads that currently are posted with a 70-mile per hour speed limit. Carol Rawson, Texas DOT director of traffic operations, reminds motorists and truckers that the new speed limits do not take effect until new speed limit signs are posted.
As speed limits increase, so do safety concerns. Corporal John Gonzales of the Texas Department of Public Safety said, "The increase of injury or fatal crashes is there, so we hope that people out there...will use a little common sense when they are driving at night." If you have been injured in a trucking or motor vehicle accident, contact an attorney as soon as possible to ensure that your rights are protected.
