Arizona State Representative Nick Kupper has introduced legislation that would permit unrestricted speed zones for non-commercial vehicles during daylight hours. In layman’s terms, he wants parts of the interstate in Arizona to become like Germany’s autobahn.

This sort of thing has been tried before. From 1995 to 1999, Montana allowed cars to drive as fast as they wanted on the interstate. The state just required the speed to be “reasonable and prudent.” If that sounds vague, the Montana Supreme Court agreed. Therefore, in 1999, Montana’s legislature imposed a 75 mph speed limit on rural freeways.

Congressman Kupper’s bill, HB2059, the Reasonable and Prudent Interstate Driving (RAPID) Act, would still have a speed limit of 80 mph at night. According to the Arizona Daily Independent, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) would rely on engineering studies, safety records, and highway design standards when determining a road’s eligibility. If the bill passes, a pilot program will begin on Interstate 8 in Arizona.

Would removing the speed limits on rural interstates result in more deaths?

Kupper looked at Montana and Germany’s autobahn when drafting the bill. He cited a 1999 audit by Montana, which showed “there is no clear relationship between the roadway having a posted speed limit and speed being a factor.” He also said the audit showed “overall fatalities for vehicle miles traveled dropped compared to the five years after that state’s new speed limits. They were averaging about two to three fewer fatalities per vehicle miles traveled than areas that had a speed limit.”

Meanwhile, a 2019 update to a 2016 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said just the opposite. It noted that for each 5 mph increase in the maximum speed limit on interstates and freeways, fatalities went up by 8%. Over the 25-year study period, there were 13,638 more deaths on interstates and freeways “than would have been expected if maximum speed limits hadn’t changed over that time.”

“Most drivers can tell the difference between a crowded city freeway and a wide-open stretch of rural interstate,” Kupper countered. “The RAPID Act accounts for that difference. It will let us raise speeds where it’s safe, keep tough penalties for reckless driving, and update our laws to reflect how people actually use these roads.”

Kupper said he came up with the idea during a “long drive one day.” AZ Central also reports that he said that while he “wouldn’t be happy” if the bill results in deadly crashes, he believes, “God gave us free will to make smart or stupid decisions.”

He certainly did.