Summary of State Speed Laws - NHTSA

Statutory Speed Limit: A "statutory speed limit" is
one specifically provided for under a State's traffic
code (rules of the road). Such limits may vary by
highway type (e.g., interstate) or by location (e.g.,
urban district). State laws may or may not require
that these limits be posted.
Posted (Maximum) Speed Limit: Even though
specific speed limits may have been established via
legislation, State laws usually allow either State or
local authorities to set highway speed limits above
or below the statutory ones. Prior to taking such
action on any portion of a highway, the law
normally requires that governmental authorities
conduct a study to determine the safe speed limit
for that part of the highway. State laws may also
allow such authorities to specify different speed
limits on all or selected highways (or portions
thereof) either for various times of the day or for
various types of vehicles (e.g., trucks).
Speed limits established under these laws are not
effective until appropriate speed limit signs are
posted on the highway. Caution: This summary
does not report the speed limits that have been
established via such laws.
INTRODUCTION
(continued)
SPEED 2005 iv
Speed Law Sanctions: Except as noted, the
criminal and administrative licensing sanctions
given are the same for any offense listed under the
heading "Basis for a Speed Law Violation."
Important: The fine sanctions listed in this
summary do not include court costs or bail schedule
forfeitures.
Highway and Street: In order to insure that the
terms "highway" and "street" are synonymous and
interchangeable, many State laws defined both as
"[t]he entire width between the boundary lines of
every way publicly maintained when any part
thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes
of vehicular travel." See Uniform Vehicle Code
§§1-127 and 1-183.
FEEDBACK and FUTURE EDITIONS
Requests for future editions of or comments about
this summary should be sent to:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Enforcement and Justice Services Division (NTI-
122)
400 Seventh Street SW.
Washington, DC 20590
Telephone: 202-366-9588 or 202-366-1755
Fax: 202-366-7721