It inspired protest songs, complaints from truckers that it actually cost them gas in the long run, and extremely heavy ire from all corners of the nation—especially the Midwest—but an influential senator has once again proposed lowering speed limits nationwide to 55 miles-per-hour.

On paper, the measure offers impressive benefits, saving 167,000 barrels of oil per day, and some some 4,000 traffic deaths per year.  Additionally, it may make some alternatively-fueled vehicles more appealing, since they often lack the high-end speed of traditional gasoline fueled cars.

Personally, though, I think this is a bad idea. Most modern vehicles have been built to perform safely—if not efficiently—at current highway speeds, and some truckers claim that 55 is both less safe and less fuel efficient, due to added need for braking and less ability to carry momentum from a downhill.  

Plus, fast driving has long been valued as an American birthright. Restricting that freedom will arouse ire that other oil saving measures, such as requiring non-oil heat or stricter insulation regulations, will not.  With a number of restrictive, climate-saveing measures on the horizon, it’s best to pick our green battles carefully.