The National Maximum Speed Law (NMSL) in the United States was a provision of the 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act that prohibited speed limits higher than 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). It was drafted in response to oil price spikes and supply disruptions during the 1973 oil crisis.
While officials hoped gasoline consumption would fall by 2.2%, actual savings are estimated at between 0.5% and 1%.
The law was widely disregarded by motorists, and most states subversively opposed the law. Actions ranged from proposing deals for exemption to de-emphasizing speed limit enforcement. The NMSL was modified in 1987 and 1988 to allow up to 65 mph (105 km/h) limits on certain limited access, rural roads. Congress repealed the NMSL in 1995, fully returning speed limit setting authority to the states.
The law's safety benefit is disputed. Some research found that crashes increased and that partial repeal made for safer roads. Other research found a safety benefit.
Read more about National Maximum Speed Law: History, 85 Mph Speedometers, Popular Culture
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