Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, backed by AAA officials and safety advocates, yesterday called upon lawmakers to uphold his veto on increasing the trucking speed limit to 65 mph, which would make it equal to that for passenger vehicles.
The speed limit would apply to 2,000 miles of highways in the state, according to the Governor’s Office.
“It’s a matter of public safety. Ten miles per hour can be the difference between life and death for a person in a car,” Gov. Blagojevich said. “The safety of families who travel Illinois highways is more important than any arguments advanced by the trucking industry.”
The measure to raise the speed limit of heavy trucks passed by wide margins in the Illinois House and Senate in spring before the governor vetoed it, Chicago Tribune Online Edition reported.