• Tire degradation comes from heat. Going slower produces less heat and therefore less pollution. On top of that, slower speeds are better for fuel economy as you aren’t dealing with wind resistance as much. That’s why the u.s. set the national speed limit to 55 during the 70s oil crises. Of course today’s cars that use hybrid and cvt transmissions are even more efficient at slower speeds than cars from 50 years ago.

    • Going slower may produce less heat but does decelerating produce less heat? Some may drive slower but most will speed up and then brake before each speed bump.

      When you brake the tires rubber is what actually slows the vehicle for the most part, and many may skid if they accidentally brake to hard before a speed bump, contributing to more rubber being washed away into nearby catch basins and creeks.

    • I can accept what you’re saying about heat as true, but I don’t think you’re addressing the issue of repeated acceleration and deceleration as it relates to speed bumps. Some amount of extra tire wear will occur due to the extra forces involved in acceleration and deceleration, regardless of the temperature of the rubber.

      I agree that slower speeds are better for fuel economy due to the wind resistance issue, but that’s very different from saying that a road with speed bumps is better for fuel economy when many of the drivers will be accelerating and braking between each bump, instead of traveling at a constant speed.