After the national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed in 197

Question

After the national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed in 1974, the number of deaths per mile driven on a highway fell abruptly as a result. Since then, however, the average speed of vehicles on highways has risen, but the number of deaths per mile driven on a highway has continued to fall.

Which of the following conclusions can be properly drawn from the statements above?

Which of the following conclusions can be properly drawn from the statements above?

(A) The speed limit alone is probably not responsible for the continued reduction in highway deaths in the years after 1974.

(B) People have been driving less since 1974.

(C) Driver-education courses have been more effective since 1974 in teaching drivers to drive safely.

(D) In recent years highway patrols have been less effective in catching drivers who speed.

(E) The change in the speed limit cannot be responsible for the abrupt decline in highway deaths in 1974.

LordStark · Accepted Answer

IMO A

(A) The speed limit alone is probably not responsible for the continued reduction in highway deaths in the years after 1974.

(B) People have been driving less since 1974.  There is no info about the trend in driving

(C) Driver-education courses have been more effective since 1974 in teaching drivers to drive safely. again no info about any friver-education courses

(D) In recent years highway patrols have been less effective in catching drivers who speed. This passage is about the trend in number of accidents no about people who speed

(E) The change in the speed limit cannot be responsible for the abrupt decline in highway deaths in 1974. It may or it may not be...we don't know that....extreme opinion

SonGoku · Answer

Here B,C,D are completely out of scope. -eliminate them

(E) The change in the speed limit cannot be responsible for the abrupt decline in highway deaths in 1974.
 too strong and the argument has stated that after imposing speed limits the deaths started to decline. So imposing speed limits is also one of the evidences that deaths started to decline,But this option is telling against that. -so eliminate d

Left out and its correctly concluding that may be some other reasons are also possible.! - so click A and press Yes
 Winner -A

Leo8 · Answer

After the national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed  in 1974 , 
the number of deaths per mile driven on a highway fell abruptly as a result.

Since then , however, the average speed of vehicles on highways has risen, but  the number of deaths  per mile driven on a highway  has continued to fall.

The Argument is encompassing a period of  1971 and since then

Which of the following conclusions can be properly drawn from the statements above?

(A) The speed limit alone is probably not responsible for the continued reduction in highway deaths  in the years after 1974.

(E) The change in the speed limit cannot be responsible for the abrupt decline in highway deaths  in 1974. 
 This one is talking about only 1974 - As per the premise give ( first statement) - E is giving an incorrect conclusion. If we weigh only the first statement of the argument - we might well say that the change in speed limit indeed is responsible for reduction in high way deaths.

saurabh9gupta · Answer

(A) The speed limit alone is probably not responsible for the continued reduction in highway deaths in the years after 1974.---- Could be the answer

(B) People have been driving less since 1974.--not mentioned anywhere.

(C) Driver-education courses have been more effective since 1974 in teaching drivers to drive safely.- Driver education? No mention again.

(D) In recent years highway patrols have been less effective in catching drivers who speed.- could be but cannot be inferred.

(E) The change in the speed limit cannot be responsible for the abrupt decline in highway deaths in 1974.- Extreme choice.

A is the answer

Posted from my mobile device

saurabh9gupta · Answer

(A) The speed limit alone is probably not responsible for the continued reduction in highway deaths in the years after 1974.---- Could be the answer

(B) People have been driving less since 1974.--not mentioned anywhere.

(C) Driver-education courses have been more effective since 1974 in teaching drivers to drive safely.- Driver education? No mention again.

(D) In recent years highway patrols have been less effective in catching drivers who speed.- could be but cannot be inferred.

(E) The change in the speed limit cannot be responsible for the abrupt decline in highway deaths in 1974.- Extreme choice.

A is the answer

Posted from my mobile device

Eric001 · Answer

Can the team provide a good rationale that why option E is not correct

Gemmie · Answer

The key points in the given statements are:
1. The number of deaths per mile driven on a highway fell abruptly after the national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed in 1974.
2. Since then, the average speed of vehicles on highways has risen.
3. Despite the rise in average speed, the number of deaths per mile driven on a highway has continued to fall.Given these points, we need to determine which conclusion can be properly drawn.

(A) The speed limit alone is probably not responsible for the continued reduction in highway deaths in the years after 1974.  
This is a reasonable conclusion because, despite the average speed increasing (suggesting that many drivers may not be adhering to the speed limit), the death rate continues to fall. This implies that factors other than the speed limit must be contributing to the reduction in highway deaths.

(B) People have been driving less since 1974. 
There is no information provided about the overall amount of driving, just the death rate per mile driven. Therefore, we cannot conclude that people have been driving less.

(C) Driver-education courses have been more effective since 1974 in teaching drivers to drive safely. 
While this might be a possible factor, there is no information provided to specifically support this conclusion.

(D) In recent years highway patrols have been less effective in catching drivers who speed. 
There is no information given about the effectiveness of highway patrols.

(E) The change in the speed limit cannot be responsible for the abrupt decline in highway deaths in 1974. 
The statement says that the number of deaths per mile driven fell abruptly as a result of the speed limit imposition. Therefore, this conclusion contradicts the given information.

egmat · Answer

Hi Eric001,

Great question. Your confusion likely comes from not noticing a critical phrase in the stimulus. Let me walk you through it.

The passage says:  'the number of deaths per mile driven on a highway fell abruptly AS A RESULT' of the  1974  speed limit. Those  3  words — 'as a result' — are doing heavy lifting. The passage is directly telling us that the speed limit DID cause the abrupt  1974  decline.

Now look at what  E  says: 'The change in the speed limit CANNOT be responsible for the abrupt decline in highway deaths in  1974 .' This flatly contradicts what the passage states.  You cannot draw a conclusion that goes against information the passage explicitly gives you.

Contrast this with  A : After  1974 , average speeds rose (meaning people were ignoring or exceeding the limit), yet deaths per mile KEPT falling. If speeds went up but deaths still went down, then clearly the speed limit alone isn't what's driving the continued decline — something else must also be helping.  That's a conclusion you CAN properly draw from the facts given.

So here's the timeline: 
-  1974:  Speed limit imposed → deaths drop abruptly (passage says the limit caused this)
- After  1974:  Speeds rise → deaths STILL fall (so something besides the speed limit must be contributing)

E  denies the first part, which the passage confirms.  A  addresses the second part, which the passage supports.

Key takeaway:  Always watch for  causal language  like 'as a result' in the stimulus — when the passage establishes a cause, you cannot conclude the opposite.

Answer: A

After the national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed in 197

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After the national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed in 197

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