Would an increased speed limit on International Drive really save that much time?
Nearly two years before International Drive finally opened, The Sun News received a letter to the editor asking why the speed limit was going to be set so low. This turned out to be first of several letters complaining about potentially slow traffic along a road that wouldn’t be completed for years.
International Drive — which opened in July — is several miles of open, newly made road, so sticking to the posted 45 mph speed limit can be tough.
The reason for the speed limit being set where it is has to do with the bears of Carolina Forest. Various environmental groups sued and stalled the construction of International Drive for years due to possible negative environmental impacts.
A expressed concern at the time was that a wide road with a high speed limit would lead to increased bear hit-and-runs and unsafe driving conditions. Between 2002 and 2013 over 200 bears were hit by cars in the northeastern corner of South Carolina. Environmental groups proposed tunnels and other means to keep bears off the road.
Fences and tunnels were deemed impractical, so the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources recommended a reduction in the speed limit. The hope was that a slower speed limit would give drivers more time to stop as the bears cross.
As of October 2018, no bears have been reported on International Drive, according to Kayla Brantley with the S.C. DNR.
The temptation to go 60 mph along the 5-mile-long road is high for many drivers, but the increased speed does not lead to a significant decrease in time of travel to a destination. According to Google Maps, the distance from Highway 90 to the Carolina Forest Lowes Food is roughly 5.6 miles.
A person driving the length of International Drive at 45 mph would reach their destination in 7.7 minutes. A person driving the same path at 60 mph would make the journey in 5.6 minutes if nothing blocks the path.
The faster-driving person would save over two minutes on the drive, barring they didn’t get a speeding ticket along the way. Given a round trip, that’s almost 4.5 minutes saved in total.
The gratification of time saved might be short lived if increased speeds lead to more ticket fines and accidents. The South Carolina DMV lists driving 15 mph over the posted speed limit as a serious offense that could add 3 points to your license.
According to the World Health Organization, faster car speeds not only increase the chance of a wreck, but they increase the likelihood of death. WHO estimates that with an increase in average speed, the chances of injury go up by 3 percent, even without the bear factor.
Even if it seems too slow, the posted speed limit on International Drive could save both bear and human lives.