It seems the answer to that is, no. Since moving to the Seattle area in 2006, I’ve been dismayed by the number of people that drive *exactly* 60 miles an hour on the highway, regardless of what lane they’re in. When I discuss this with other people from out of state, I get knowing nods, but when I bring this up to natives, they get smug about it and point out that Massachusetts drivers are crazy and here in Washington, we’re sensible and safe. The problem with this argument is that the numbers don’t bear it out. While it is true that Washington is near the top in fewest fatalities per 100 million miles driven, Massachusetts is even higher on that list. Here’s an excerpt of the table.
| State | Fatality Rate | Rank |
| Montana | 2.41 | 1 (most dangerous) |
| Washington | 1.09 | 45 |
| Massachusetts | .89 | 49 |
| Vermont | .83 | 50 (safest) |
Source: U.S. National Highway Safety Traffic Administration. See Table 1087, Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2006.
Lesson: You don’t have to drive maddeningly slow on the highway to be safe. I’m all for driving slowly in neighborhoods (I’m usually going slower than everyone around me) but let’s keep the highways moving please. For those who agree, feel free to join this Facebook group: Hey Washington State… the left lane is the PASSING lane.
Hilarious. I’m constantly amazed by how many people in this state camp in the passing lane going less than the speed limit.
That said, the best way to improve auto safety is to follow the speed limit (as opposed to more airbags or other technical solutions), and to drive sober.