In the rush to hand over federal responsibilities to the states, the U.S. Senate voted to repeal the federal speed limit law Tuesday.

Touted as a move to provide greater flexibility to state officials, the bill is really meant to satisfy powerful senators from western states who wish to see faster travel on long stretches of open roadways.

Unfortunately, such a law would inevitably lead to greater fatalities and increased hazards in states that adopted higher speed limits. Since the time of their adoption, federal limits have produced a decline in traffic fatalities in numerous states, including Iowa.

Now is no time to abandon national speed limits on our roads and highways. It is literally a matter of life and death.