EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- El Paso will be the first place in Texas to implement and activate a variable speed limit, the Texas Department of Transportation El Paso District said. The variable speed limit section is located on U.S. 54 southbound (mainlanes only) from approximately Cassidy Road to Interstate 10. Activation will begin Wednesday, Oct. 16, TxDOT said. “Speed is one of the top contributing factors in traffic crashes in Texas,” said Eduardo Perales, professional engineer, TxDOT El Paso District director of transportation operations. “This provides an additional tool to alert drivers of congestion or undesirable conditions impacting the road ahead and to reduce their speed. One in three of all traffic fatalities in Texas involve speed. Though behavioral, we can try and deter speeding. “We selected this portion of US 54 because we often see congestion from the international crossing,” Perales added. “Due to proximity to the number of elevated interchanges there, it will also assist with any winter weather conditions.” The speed limit can only be lowered to a maximum of 10 mph below the posted speed limit. "The VSL system uses real-time data to implement the reduced speed limit due to congestion and is capable of being fully automated or manually modified by an operator. Advance warning signs will notify drivers they are entering a variable speed limit segment of the roadway. Dynamic message signs will indicate the segment’s current speed," TxDOT said in its news release. House Bill 1885 passed in September 2023, allowing the Texas Transportation Commission to establish this safety measure, TxDOT said. The approval allows the temporary lowering of the speed limit to address inclement weather, congestion, road construction, or any other condition that affects the safe and orderly movement of traffic. The number of traffic crashes in the City of El Paso in 2023 that involved speeding totaled 3,855, TxDOT said. These crashes resulted in 30 deaths and 65 serious injuries, TxDOT added. Last year, 1,303 people were killed in speed-related crashes across the state, according to TxDOT.