07:06 AM EDT on Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Indiana's highway speed limit has increased in Indiana but state troopers are writing far more tickets.

It's been three months since the 70-mile-per-hour signs were posted on Indiana's rural highways and interstates. And in July, August and September of this year, troopers handed out about a third more tickets statewide than the same time last year.

Trooper Nathan Teusch with the Indiana State Police said, "In a 70 mile an hour zone, you're going 80 plus and that's dangerous. With the speed limit at 65, people felt safe to drive a certain amount over. Now that it's 70, once you reach that tolerance you feel safe enough. I can drive that fast. People are driving faster. We are writing higher numbers."

At the same time, Indiana traffic fatalities are down. State police say so far this year 23 fewer people have died compared to the same time last year.