Speed limits in Germany
In 1973, in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, a federal speed limit of 100 km/h (62 mph) on Autobahns was imposed to help conserve fuel for fear of impending future shortages (not for environmental or safety reasons). The measure only lasted from December 1973 to March 1974; while the administration and the Bundestag were in favor of keeping the speed limit, the Bundesrat pushed to repeal the law. As a compromise, a "recommended speed" was introduced on Autobahns and "highways outside of built-up areas with a center divide or without a center divide and a continuous lane for overtaking in both directions". This law is basically still in effect today. Unrestricted non-Autobahn highways, however, have since become virtually non-existent or replaced by "Schnellstraßen", Autobahn-like expressways typically limited to 120 or 130 km/h and normally only covering a few kilometers.
Speed limits in the United States by jurisdiction
After the National Maximum Speed Limit was repealed, Kansas raised its general interstate speed limit to ; a study found "no statistically significant increases in crash, fatal crash and fatality rates were noted during the after period on either rural or urban interstate highway networks. On the other hand, statistically significant increases in crash, fatal crash and fatality rates were observed on the 2-lane rural highway network.". In 2011 Governor Sam Brownback signed legislation raising Kansas' top speed limit to on Rural Interstates and limited access portions of U.S. Routes, effective July 1, 2011. The Kansas Department of Transportation announced on June 21, 2011, that 807 miles of roadway, comprising the rural areas of I-70, I-35, I-135, the Kansas Turnpike and the freeway-improved sections of US-69 and US-81, will be raised to 75 mph. Other four-lane, non-limited access divided highways have a speed limit of 70 mph, with 65 mph on two-lane undivided roads, and 55 mph on township roads. Prior to the National Maximum Speed Limit, the speed limit on the Kansas Turnpike used to be , but was reduced to 75 mph on August 17, 1970. The minimum speed limit on Kansas Interstates is 40 mph.