Summary of state speed laws

NHTSA · 2006 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This document, titled "Summary of State Speed Laws" (Ninth Edition, 2006), is a comprehensive reference publication produced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Its primary purpose is to report the status of state statutes and regulations concerning speed limits and speed-related violations as of January 1, 2006. The publication excludes local laws and aims to facilitate the comparison of traffic laws across jurisdictions for researchers and legal professionals. The document is organized into two main sections: an introduction defining key legal concepts and a state-by-state analysis covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Uniform Vehicle Code. The introduction clarifies standard legal definitions, including the "Basic Speed Rule" (requiring reasonable and prudent speed), "Statutory Speed Limits" (legislatively established limits), "Posted Speed Limits" (limits set by authorities based on engineering studies), and specific offenses such as "Racing on the Highway," "Drag Racing," and "Reckless Driving." It also outlines general principles regarding minimum speed rules and sanctions, noting that fines listed do not include court costs. The state-by-state analysis provides detailed data for each jurisdiction, structured by specific legal topics. For each state, the document details the basis for speed law violations, including statutory and posted maximum and minimum speed limits. It specifies the adjudication process, distinguishing between civil infractions and criminal misdemeanors. The summary lists specific sanctions, including imprisonment terms, fine ranges, and mandatory minimums. It also details administrative licensing actions, such as point systems, suspension periods, and revocation criteria. Additionally, the document covers other criminal actions related to speeding, such as racing and reckless driving, and outlines disqualification grounds and periods for Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) operators. The significance of this publication lies in its role as a centralized, authoritative resource for understanding the fragmented landscape of U.S. traffic law. By standardizing the presentation of diverse state statutes, it enables efficient comparative analysis of speed regulations, penalties, and enforcement mechanisms. The inclusion of code and case law citations supports further legal research, while the detailed breakdown of sanctions and licensing actions provides clear insight into the consequences of speed-related violations across different jurisdictions.

Key finding

The document is a legal compilation of state traffic statutes and does not contain empirical research findings or experimental results.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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Topics

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• speed management