In 1974, Congress tried to reduce U.S. fuel usage by imposing a nationwide 55 miles per hour speed limit. As time passed, motorists increasingly disregarded this speed limit; and in 1987, the speed limit on rural interstate highways was increased to 65 miles per hour. Plot the data on U.S. motor vehicle deaths per 100 million miles driven, shown in Table 2.16, and see if anything unusual seems to have happened in 1974 and during the next several years.

Transcribed Image Text:

Year Deaths Year Deaths Year Deaths Year Deaths 1960 5.1 1969 4.9 1978 3.3 1987 2.4 1961 5.1 1970 4.7 1979 3.3 1988 2.3 1962 5.1 1971 4.5 1980 3.3 1989 2.2 1963 5.3 1972 4.3 1981 3.2 1990 2.1 1964 5.4 1973 4.1 1982 2.8 1991 1.9 1965 5.3 1974 3.5 1983 2.6 1992 1.8 1966 5.5 1975 3.4 1984 2.6 1993 1.8 1967 5.4 1976 3.3 1985 2.5 1994 1.7 1968 5.2 1977 3.3 1986 2.5