“Speed, Highway Safety & 172”

Montana's rural highways have higher death rates because they have higher rates of drunk driving, lower seat-belt compliance, and many of them go through some treacherous mountainous terrain, at least in western Montana. Many of their roads are undivided two-lane highways which, not surprisingly, also have the highest death rates of any type of road.

Southern Ontario, I agree, is completely different in terms of population density and roads, in that we have far more divided multi-lane highways, controlled intersections, etc. However, most Montana residents drive considerably slower than we do, despite the wide-open empty roads of Big Sky Country. When we have serious crashes, police, fire and EMS response time is generally very good, whereas in parts of Montana it can take over an hour to get any assistance, and much longer to get to a hospital. Some of our hospitals (Sunnybrook, St. Mike's) have become experts at treating motor vehicle crash injuries, because they do it all the time.

That said... northern Ontario is just as unpopulated as Montana. If they twin the Trans-Canada (hwy 417/17), why not take away daytime speed limits in remote areas? (I'm saying from a theoretical perspective... this gov't would never go for it, of course.)

Ive said this a million times.

Why do all sections and almost all 400 series highways have the same speed limit?

Rural areas should have higher limits and populated areas should have lower limits.

Almost all of Europe has this set up.

Fine the 401 through toronto you could argue should be 100. There is so much traffic its hard to go that speed anyways. But once you head towards london or montreal the speed picks up. Its not busy and 3 lanes. The limit here should be raised. But i dont need to point out the obvious. The fact everyone is going 120-130 shows how low the limit is anyways.

tdrive2 wrote: But once you head towards london or montreal the speed picks up. Its not busy and 3 lanes. .

But for some reason, Hwy 401 west of London and hwy 402 the speed drops right down. All the way to Windsor thru carnage alley!!

...just something about that area.....can't put my finger on it ....