IN 1974, AS THE PRICE OF OIL WAS RISING AND CONCERN ABOUT AN ENERGY SHORTAGE WAS MOUNTING, CONGRESS PASSED THE 55 MPH LAW TO CONSERVE FUEL. THE JOB OF ENFORCING THE LAW FELL TO STATE POLICE FORCES, AND SPEEDING ARRESTS INCREASED FROM 5.7 MILLION IN 1973 TO 8 MILLION IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE NEW LAW. MOST DRIVERS, AWARE OF THE CRACKDOWN ON SPEEDERS AND FACING LINES AT GASOLINE STATIONS, REDUCED THEIR SPEEDS. HOWEVER, ONCE THE GAS CRISIS ABATED, SPEEDS BEGAN TO CREEP UPWARD DESPITE CONTINUED ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. ALTHOUGH MANY MOTORISTS AND MOST TRUCKERS RESIST THE 55 MPH LIMIT, STATE POLICE GENERALLY SUPPORT THE LIMIT BECAUSE IT SAVES FUEL AND LIVES. DRIVERS USE FROM 17 TO 40 PERCENT LESS FUEL BY SLOWING DOWN FROM 70 TO 55 MPH. THE NUMBER OF HIGHWAY FATALITIES DROPPED FROM 55,639 IN 1973 TO 46,286 IN 1974. SOME STATE POLICE NOTE THAT THEY LACK THE SUPPORT OF THEIR LEGISLATURES AND OF THE PUBLIC IN ENFORCING THE SPEED LIMIT. SPEEDING PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES VARY FROM STATE TO STATE. TO PROMOTE COMPLIANCE, CONGRESS AMENDED THE 55 MPH LAW IN 1975 BY REQUIRING STATES TO ACHIEVE STATED COMPLIANCE GOALS ON PENALTY OF LOSING FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDS. THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAS HAD A PARTICULARLY AGGRESSIVE AND SUCCESSFUL SPEED LIMIT ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN, ONE THAT HAS BEEN PLACES PRIMARILY ON PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS. TECHNIQUES USED IN MARYLAND, TEAS, AND OTHER STATES TO CATCH SPEEDERS AND DISCOURAGE SPEEDING ARE NOTED. IT IS OBSERVED THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE DETERRENTS TO SPEEDING APPEAR TO BE LONG GAS LINES. (LKM)