Study says increase in speed limit also raised traffic deaths in the state

New statistics show since speeds have gone up on Oklahoma highways, so have the number of traffic deaths. But that's not the case across the rest of the nation. <br/><br/>657 traffic fatalities were

Monday, February 20th 2006, 6:01 am

By: News On 6

New statistics show since speeds have gone up on Oklahoma highways, so have the number of traffic deaths. But that's not the case across the rest of the nation.

657 traffic fatalities were reported in Oklahoma between 1986 and 1995 when the speed limit was 55. That jumped to 744 when the speed limit went up to 65 and 70 miles an hour. That's a 13 percent increase.

Nationally, there has been a 2.5 percent drop in fatalities.