You may have been there before: Caught in the slipstream of a truck and with his head pressed against the side window in an attempt to get an overview of the overhalingsmulighederne ahead.

Trucks must now drive 70 km/h. on country roads and expressways, while you yourself must run 80 km/h. in your passenger car. The route goes through one of these two types, it is therefore hard to avoid a beating or two along the way, as the rules are today. But such will not continue to be.

the Parliament has, according to the Lastbilmagasinet adopted to raise the speed limit for trucks as well as light and heavy vehicle combinations from 70 to 80 km/h. on expressways and country roads located outside of cities and settlements. This means in other words that truck drivers and motorists in ordinary passenger cars running with a caravan or trailer, have a view to the higher speed limit.

Within the country’s truck drivers and campers can press the pedal a little farther toward the floor, the police and the municipalities spend a little time to prepare. According to the Lastbilmagasinet to the IT systems to be updated, like the lines where the trucks and road trains are not allowed to drive 80 km/h., must have new road signs.

It means that the law will enter into force from the 1. January 2020.

Behind the law stands the Danish people’s Party, the government and the Social democrats, who all voted for. DF and the government had, however, already formed the common ground in line for 2019, and the bill was first tabled back in February.

at that Time lay minister for transport mr Ole Birk Olesen (LA) emphasis on the fact that there would be an economic benefit by raising the speed limit.

– The increased speed limit from 70 to 80 km/h. outside of the denser built-up area and on expressways will result in a time gain for the transport industry and will support the growth of the business, he said in fremsættelsestalen and added:

– the Danish road directorate as a whole has assessed that the business gains by increasing the speed limit will be in the region of 560 million. dollars annually.

Despite the economic incentives to have more political parties and interest groups have been skeptical about the bill. This is due not least to the increased risk of accidents, as a higher speed limit can create.

In a response from 14. January wrote to the Council for Safe Traffic, for example:

– By a balance of these terms to each other, the Council considers that the had to conclude that the proposal overall, is likely to have a negative effect in relation to road safety here in the country.

At the national Police, who also submitted a consultation response during the examination of the bill, there is concern that a dangerous trend from the highway will find its way to the road. Police look here too often, that drivers drive at 90 km/h., that is the limit of the truck’s built-in speed limiter.

in Addition pointed on distracted drivers and poorly maintained trucks which challenges, which speaks against the new speed limit.

– It is therefore Rigspolitiets overall assessment that the bill on the increase of the speed limit, among other things, the trucks should be reconsidered, once the problems with the condition of the trucks and the incidence of distracting activities among tungvognsførerne is significantly minimized, write to the national Police.

In its fremsættelsestale acknowledged the minister for transport mr Ole Birk Olesen also, that a higher speed limit will increase the risk of accidents. At the same time he pointed, however, that it will give rise to fewer dangerous overtaking.

– An increase in the speed limit for both trucks and light and heavy vehicle combinations will give a higher average speed for these vehicles, which provides an increased accident risk, he said in fremsættelsestalen and added:

– on the other hand leads to increase of the speed limit for trucks as well as light and heavy vehicle combinations, a reduction of the hastighedsspredningen in relation to other vehicles, ( … ), which in experience is for the benefit of road safety.

the Bill was adopted without amendment by 87 votes in favour and 24 against.