"Self-interest is not only a legitimate but a fundamental cause for national policy, one which needs no cloak of hypocrisy." --Alfred Thayer Mahan: Quoted in Society and Thought in Modern America.

Received a note from an old friend, John Sawhill, a few weeks ago in response to one of my many queries on the government's position on the speed law limits nationally. John had a good shot at the fleet market from his marketing post at CCIC, the parent of McCullagh Leasing in those days. Now, of course, he has replaced Bill Simon as top honcho at the Federal Energy Administration.

What apparently was a critical shortage of fuel has blossomed into an almost pure safety thrust on the 55 MPH mandate. Sawhill still quotes the fact that we are saving somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000 barrels of oil each day with the current limits. He also expects that Detroit is going to make it easy for fleet men to realize better gas mileage in the few short years ahead. He estimates that overall gasoline mileage will spurt from the present average of 13.5 miles per gallon to 17 miles per gallon.

With the Trans-Alaska pipeline coming on stream, the embargo lifted in the Far East, and our nation's drivers using more common sense on motor usage, we can pretty well not worry too much about a fuel shortage like we did last winter.

The real reason for the retention of the 55MPH limit is a terribly important one. SAFETY. Yes, Safety. That is the one word that just does not get the attention it deserves in our business world.

Fortunately, the federal government has got the statistics to back it up and we should all think about it as we cruise along at what seems an almost ridiculously slow rate at 55 when we are on the interstate or limited access highway when there is virtually little or no other traffic.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, who keeps tabs on all this, reports that for the sixth consecutive month, highway fatalities were below the comparable month of the previous year. As an example traffic fatalities in April were reduced to 3,444 this year compared to 4,448 last April; a saving of 1,004 lives or 22.6%. January and February had each shown a drop of about 23% and March was down 26%.

Looking at it overall, since November 1973 when the first voluntary speed limit became effective, we have collectively saved an estimated 4,775 lives.

The National Safety Council believes that 86% of all accidents are due to driver error; another 8% to bad highway design and a mere 6-percenrt allotted to worn out or defective machinery.

Federal studies indicate that 60% of all single vehicle fatalities and 50% of all multi-vehicle deaths are caused by drunken driving.

Whether you like it or not, we are going to be at 55 MPH for a long time. The record is there. In this case safety does not cost us a thing but our time. We are actually saving monies at the reduced speeds. Compare this to the experience we have had in the other areas of safety. One domestic compact has leaped 50% in cost in the last five years. Consider $100 for the new special bumpers another $100 for the interlock system, $35for side markers, $20 for the head restraints and so on; it mounts up in a hurry. One thing is clear, we are getting a bargain in safety at the lower limits. That is one for the good guys.