83. This editorial asserts that West Cambria should not change its highway speed 3 l$ }. [% r% s6 ]
limits because such changes adversely affect driver alertness and are therefore ' P1 `# l6 n* \% h
dangerous. To support this claim, the editorial cites statistics indicating that whenever , s q" ~! b9 U3 |& S5 o, a
East Cambria changed its speed limits, an average of 3 percent more automobile 8 E' F( p: } `: f" a
accidents occurred during the week after the change than during the week preceding it, 1 ?* U+ W P! q9 n
even when the speed limit was lowered. As it stands, this argument suffers from three
! K& e% _4 }7 kcritical flaws.' {' D( x, e8 |& x2 O
First, it is unlikely that the brief one-week periods under comparison are
" e0 a1 t) C6 l5 }; B; lrepresentative of longer time periods. A difference of only 3 percent during one
2 q. {4 t" A% Uparticular week can easily be accounted for by other factors, such as heavy holiday
+ W$ W6 d N8 e5 R$ ?/ Otraffic or bad weather, or by problems with reporting or sampling. Had the editorial
, I A+ S! ]: L8 f5 Z, Iindicated that several speed-limit changes in East Cambria contributed to the statistic, 6 l: X) b0 w" e$ T. w0 [5 Z
the argument would be more convincing; but for all we know, the statistic is based on 8 d% }* ]5 l; U$ F, Y C0 h
only one such change. In any event, a one-week period is too brief to be representative 3 H4 k" r" m$ D$ q( e
because it is likely that accidents will occur more frequently immediately following the
: p( v' Q) U5 u7 U0 t( @) }change, while people adjust to the new limit, than over the longer term when drivers $ x0 L( n3 `; B) a/ d- \+ k
have become accustomed to the change.
0 u0 c2 z4 L- i' V3 @' i Secondly, the editorial fails to acknowledge possible differences in the types of
8 c9 O/ @9 S- eaccidents occurring before and after the change. It is possible that the accidents during , e) E' I+ h" A5 d' @: @
the week before the change all involved fatalities, while those during the week after the
" r) ?% U% C/ r( Achange were minor fender-benders. If so, even though 3 percent more accidents
6 |4 X6 c+ j; Z) v: ^occurred after the change, the author's argument that changing the speed limit increases $ Y6 P) g/ D1 \) J4 r$ A
danger for drivers would be seriously weakened.3 H9 x* [; b4 y e2 x F
Thirdly, the editorial fails to take into account possible differences between East
, U+ E: l$ i& h& L! oand West Cambria that are relevant to how drivers react to speed-limit changes. Factors $ n0 j! b+ K% N8 o; m
such as the condition of roads, average age and typical driving habits of residents, and , x! i1 A5 U" ?6 A# s: z, e+ R1 s
weather patterns, would probably affect how well or how quickly drivers adapt to
* p/ e, Q- s# l# Lspeed-limit changes. Thus, changing speed limits in East Cambria might be more
2 y* x4 U" v. d3 _ c" Cdangerous than changing them in West Cambria.
7 \+ E* V1 v6 a# }0 @ In conclusion, the statistical evidence cited to support the argument is
; N% G# a a% d3 `8 k7 iinsignificant and probably unrepresentative. To better evaluate the argument, we need to 7 y O1 f1 W: W& u7 K! \
know how many speed-limit changes contributed to the statistic and when the speed-
- }( R! y3 ^" x# }9 G9 `) y2 Qlimit changes were made. Finally, to strengthen the argument the author should show
9 w: v" Z6 |/ a7 Tthat East and West Cambria would be similarly affected by speed-limit changes. |