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Best and Worst States to Speed in the U.S.

posted 18 years ago by candrew088
57 replies | jump to latest

After watching this movie, it made me think about state to state travel that I've done in the past. I've driven along most of the U.S. Interstate Highway System (except the pacific coast) and I'm curious as to what states people feel are the best and worst to exceed the speed limit.

Here's my best and worst:

Best: Arkansas - I've driven through Arkansas a few times and I think I've seen maybe one or two people pulled over. I always travel w/ a radar detector and I distinctly remember driving through the entire state in one afternoon and my radar detector didn't go off one time. My fastest time ever was probably Little Rock to Memphis (I-40). I don't think my spedometer went under 85 until I got to the Mississippi River.

Best (Honorable Mention) Texas - Texas is strange in that the local roads are a complete nightmare. Small towns make a big chunk of change pulling over poor schmucks who go 3 mph over the speed limit. But the state troopers are surprisingly cool. I've been pulled over 3 times and never got a ticket. The speed limit is 70mph but you can't do the left hand lane under 80 unless you're in or around Dallas, Houston, San Antonio or Austin.

Worst: Virginia - Absolutely without a doubt no contest. Both I-81 and I-95 (which run parallel on the west and east borders) are crawling w/ state troopers that will think nothing of giving you a ticket if you go 5 mph over the speed limit. You can't go 15 miles down either Interstate without seeing someone pulled over (People have also been known to be caught speeding by aircrafts). And about a third of the state is covered by these ridiculous "safety corridors" which apparently are nothing more than an excuse to jack up the amount of your ticket.

[–] danielstring 17 years ago

new jersey: cops never feel like pulling you over, too busy sleeping on the side of the road.

Pennsylvania: northeast extension is the best place to go. ive gone 155 (yes, mph) only slowing down cause i ran out of straight road.

upstate new york: worst place to drive ever. everyone drives slow, and if you come within 3 car lengths of them, they pull over and let you pass them. troopers on us 81 are ridiculous, too. they pull you over for 5 over.

[–] snake77 17 years ago

Nevada hands down is the best. I have driven all over the USA, and there is simply nothing like Highway 50 that cuts through the middle of Nevada. for large stretches you might as well be on the moon (hence it's official nickname "the lonliest road in america"). You can go as fast as your car will allow. The only competiton you might have is a fighter jet screaming along above you from the nearby Air Force base. I have gone hours on this road with out seeing a car, person, cow, rabbit, or tumbleweed. And when you stop anywhere along it you are greeted with the defening sound of total silence. Amazing.

My vote for the worst state to drive in - Florida. Drivers there are crazy.

[–] DaReapaMan 17 years ago

Worst: Ohio, Virginia, New Hampshire

I was going though Ohio on my way to jersey a couple years back, and there were cops literally every 2 miles the entire way through the state. Virginia I list from my uncle, who is a cop down there and definitely an ass. New Hampshire is not so bad on the highways, but as soon as you pull into any backwater town, your ass better be right on the limit or one of the 19 trillion cops every small town seems to employ will be right on you.

Best: Massachusetts

There's something of an unwritten rule here. You slow down when you actually SEE a cop, and he'll let you go. I've been flying down I-495 at 90 (it's a 65) and had cops watch me go by just because I saw them and slowed, even after they had been watching me for a good 5-6 seconds. Michigan gets an honorable mention, but one speed trap in Flint annoys me so much they can't make the main list.

[–] summerofgeorge427 17 years ago

BEST STATE: MONTANA/WYOMING

I have sustained speeds of 165mph and higher for HOURS in those states, yes HOURS at 165 or faster.

WORST: MICHIGAN

[–] deltajvliet 16 years ago

Wow... What kind of car?

Mai roflcopter... it goas soi soi soi soi soi soi soi.

[–] iggyomega 17 years ago

Best: Michigan. The first time I drove in Michigan, I was totally blown away. I drove from Chicago to Detroit and it was every person for him or herself with no cops the whole way. 90+ is no problem.

You can find bad spots to speed everywhere, but the first that comes to mind is Springfield, IL and the surrounding area on I-55. There is an Illinois police training academy near there and there are almost always armadas of motorcycle cops pulling over anybody who dares exceed the speed limit. Get 10 miles outside city limits, however, and its free sailing all the way down to St. Louis.

[–] kairingler 17 years ago

virginia is crawling with them I95..ohio i70 tons of troopers there. maryland us40 I95 is horrible . washington d.c. watch out,, camera's from baltimore to d.c. they don't even have to pull you over. other end of the scale p.a done 85-90 on turnpike for years.. enable you're c.b. if you have one.. michigan never had a problem at all. missouri watch 67 north between fredricktown and farmington other than that it's cool. new york state no problems
works for me

[–] wbnimrod 17 years ago

the worst places for commercial vehicles are oregon, and california if you go 57 it's excessive speeding. as for regular cars california is the most light hearted out in the boonies because one day i was in cali a viper, vette and ferarri at different times shot around me and dissappeared in the distance faster than i could get down an on ramp in the 18 wheeler i was driving and i never saw lights in the distance andit was evening time.

tennessee is the worst state to park overnight in a rest stop if you're a trucker. the fuzz just come up pound on your rig and tell you to move even if you're out of hours for the day.

P.S.: don't take it hard, just shake your head and laugh

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] kayne-3 17 years ago

I agree I-81 is always crawling with police.
They will pull you over for doing 15 + mph over (maybe 20+over)

I-95? maybe. Isn't that turnpike in PA? Everyone speeds on that road. I don't think it's that bad

[–] robocat893 17 years ago

Back in the dark ages when there was a national 55 mph speed limit Oklahoma had an unique approach to speeding.

Oklahoma posted signs on their borders which listed the fines for speeding. It was like 56 mph to 60 mph - $100, 61 mph to 65 mph - $120, 66 mph to 70 - $140, etc. That was a long time ago and those above fines are made up.

It was like uh-oh, I'm about to cross into Oklahoma. I need to check my bank balance to see how much I can speed.

In reality I'm sure there was another reason for the sign but it still struck me as odd having a price list of fines for speeding depending on how fast you go.

You shoot to kill on sight they call you GI Joe...

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] kurtwbillups 17 years ago

I'll have to disagree with you on Texas. I live here and have NEVER been pulled over by a DPS trooper and not given a ticket, including when I (a grown man) was pulled over in a amd rush home to see my grandfather before he died and was crying.

My best state would be Mississipi. Got pulled over in some small town on the way back from Atlanta. Not only did I not get a ticket, I got directions. I can't stand the Texas DPS.

[–] hawkeye_74 17 years ago

I'm an east coast driver and I have to agree on Virginia and Ohio, two worst states I've ever driven through for numbers of troopers seen per mile. I-81 from Tenn to the Wytheville I-77 junction, in the 70 miles I spotted 8 troopers hiding along the side, one per every 10 miles! That was just in the east bound side, hell who knows how many were on the west bound. When I went to court on one Va. ticket the trooper who pulled me had something like 80 cases for that day. The Magistrate was cool and let me go but I had to drive up there from SC in a driving nightmare of a storm to get to court by 9AM. I have had no trouble in Ohio but there were a sh*tload of troopers out stopping other drivers when I passed through. Seemed like one for every 10 miles of asphalt.

I used to see those Ticket Price signs in Penn. they were posted at the state line on white signs with red lettering. Maryland stuck with the double nickle for the longest time with signs reminding you to "Drive Gently".

Most of the drivers I see roaring through SC are from Ohio and Ontario, driving like they had just bought the highway and were trying it out..

Drove through Michigan and from Cinncinatti to the UP and saw on one Trooper the whole way. Great state and damn fine roads too.

I've never in any state been pulled over for doing only 5 to 7 MPH over. If you are not the only one on the road for them to see at 3AM you will be getting passed by someone else to take the hit for you.

[–] daryl-89 17 years ago

I hear alot about Ohio being a bad state but I drove from Ct to Ohio and back through NY and Pa to get a puppy. Made the entire trip in under 18 hours with a 1 hour stop. Averaged between 90 and 100 MPH most of the time. Never saw 1 cop in any state I traveled through that day. I realize this must have been a great and lucky coincidence from all that I hear of Ohio.

[–] dick_yrk 17 years ago

my friends, the worst place,

NEVADA

in the first 8 months of living in this state, i drove like i would as a california. Was pulled over twice. first time was in my 64 1/2 mustang, was cited as being twice the limit and given a 758 dollar wreckless driving ticket. Strangely enough, other cars were passing me.

Second time, I was pulled over for being 10 over in a 50 at like 11 at night. I was driving an 05 mustang. This time the trooper was cool, gave me a ticket, but it was still like 320 bucks. got it knocked down to like 100 and it didnt go on my record. but a dodge ram was passing me when the cop approached in the oncoming lane and then pulled me over.

Best state,

California

Hands down. I drive like I do now in Nevada in California. I get other people passing me doing way more than the limit in front of cops and even some cops pass me cause I drive the limit.

but *beep*, watch those troopers in NV.

[–] semsox 17 years ago

Atlanta Georgia. Traveling from the midwest to Florida, Georgia is the one state where the cops don't mess around. While going thru Atlanta, we saw dozens of cops on the side of the interstate, and sitting on the over passes clocking cars. Than as you got farther down the road you would see cars pulled over every 100 feet. Out of all the states I travel through, Georgia is the one state I don't go over the speed limit.

[–] zap644 11 years ago

You judge cops by whether or not they give you a ticket?

Well, first off, let's look at reality. Most of us probably have only a handful of experiences from which to judge.

Based on my experience - albeit very limited - Texas state troopers are the most professional law enforcement agents I've ever dealt with. OTOH, I've only dealt with them twice and they did write me a ticket, but fair is fair - it was a valid ticket and I did deserve it. The state inspection had expired almost a year earlier.

My other run-in with a Texas state trooper was something else. He told me he was going to run my license and let me go before the city cops got there and turned it into a circus which unfortunately just as he was walking back to my car to give me my license back the city cops did show up in force and did in fact turn the whole place into a circus.

For brevity, I'll spare you that long sordid story of HPD (Houston) pigs playing circus clowns.

I've gotten 3 tickets in the past 10 years - all for speeding. I was really only pissed off about one of them because I had sped up to 45 when I saw the sign instead of after I had passed it. Okay, whatever. The point I want to make is law enforcement has the thankless task of enforcing such things as speed limits.

Lots of people exceed the speed limit. It matters where you do it, how much you're exceeding it and whether or not a cop sees you. Speed through a school zone? yeah, that's a ticket. Pass a state trooper (in almost any state) going 80 in a 75? You're probably okay. Drive 110 down I45 between Houston and Dallas? If they don't see you do that, you won't get stopped.

I've only used a radar detector once and it drove me nuts. It went off constantly even when there were no cops around. There were way too many false positives and it didn't notice the state trooper parked in the median of an interstate who was probably asleep but I slowed down for anyway because I saw him.

There really is no good state to speed in. If a cop sees you going 20 over the limit he's going to pull you over. I got pulled over for doing 90 in a 75 in New Mexico, FFS. There were only 2 other cars that I could see, one about a mile ahead of me and the NM state trooper.

I knew I was busted when I saw him turn around and he started following me. I was tempted to tell him I thought the 75 MPH limit was a minimum but I didn't. Still, he was just doing his job. I can't really complain too much. The ticket was kind of cheap for being 15 over the limit.

[–] WARLORD1863 17 years ago

I've done some travelling in my time on the road, but if New Jersey isn't named the worst state to speed in on YOUR list... you never spent too much time in Jersey.

I send my car to 90 to 100 throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania and even West Virginia and Ohio... especially Ohio. No trouble at all.

Maryland is trouble, especially since many departments have more unmarked cars than they do black and whites. All other parts of the country have moderate to very limited problems.

New Jersey is completely different. It's hard to guage from the turnpike, but most NJ highways like I-80, 287, and others are simply crawling with cops that are foaming at the mouth to write tickets. Most highways you go on has a speed trap every 5 to 10 miles. NJ has speed traps at every mile, and that isn't an exaggeration.

Ever see those nature programs about trap-door spiders? NJ State Troopers wrote their whole handbook based on them. They ache for the chance to just pounce out of their hiding places and write you a big fat ticket.

Actually now that I think about it... watch out for Maine. I got lasered from a chopper in the air or something. I got pulled over, along with just about everyone else on the road! There were literally a dozen cars pulled over where I was. Maine just loves new technology, and uses them.

[–] vice69 16 years ago

i've only driven through california, nevada, idaho and oregon extensively and i will say that idaho is one of the worst...a trooper flashed his lights at me when i was doing 62 in a 55...and ive heard from many folks that idaho hates speeders...

oregons speed limits are ridiculous too...all highways are 55...driving on 95 north through nevada it is 70 then as soon as you cross into oregon it drops to 55...i call it drag a$$ valley because you are crawling compared to nevadas 70 & 75 limits...my dad got pulled for doing 89 and 72 in a 55 here in oregon so they are pretty lenient...i've always done at least 5 over and never had a problem...my last trip through drag a$$ valley i was fluctuating between 65 and 95 and never saw a cop...

california recently started getting strict in and around the sacramento valley...i saw 2 or 3 motorcycle cops pulled over on the shoulder hittin people with their radar guns and the buzz around town is to keep it under 5 over or they will get you...

i'd like to get a valentine 1 radar detector so i can keep an eye on the fuzz...but they run about $500...yikes...

-I'm The Police Chief, I Know Everything...-

[–] HorrorMovieLuva 16 years ago

I live in Virginia and would say we're far worse than any of the other Eastern states I've been too. They can and will pull you for anything over 5mph over the limit. In some of the small towns with cops with nothing to do, they will pull you for probably 3+. A few months ago they were having a big crackdown weekend. I remember passing a cop, then another in less than 2 miles, then I thought it was safe, but decided not to speed, I passed 3 more cops sitting together less than another mile later.

They will also pull you for all kinds of stupid stuff here too. If you have any aftermarket exhaust, expect to get a ticket for it. Dark tint will get you pulled, and not running a front license plate will even get you pulled.

[–] candrew088 16 years ago

I've done some travelling in my time on the road, but if New Jersey isn't named the worst state to speed in on YOUR list... you never spent too much time in Jersey.
_______________________________________________

I live in NJ and have never been pulled over for speeding let alone received a speeding ticket.

In my experience NJ State Troopers seem to follow the unwritten "flow of traffic" rule. I've often gone 10-15 mph over the speed limit in the left hand lane for long stretches without a problem. From what I've seen, the people who are most likely to get pulled over are the idiots who weave recklessly in and out of lanes to pass other cars.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] nosnojsirhc 15 years ago

we should possibly differentiate between in-state and out-of-state plates? i think there might be a difference in rates of being pulled over, especially in rural areas.

that said, i would agree with most board members that the BEST driving states seem to be:

montana
wyoming
nevada
utah
michigan

and WORST states:
jersey
virginia
north carolina
georgia

to BEST i would add:
north dakota
idaho
kansas

i see a pattern: east has a LOT more people, and therefore more violators, and therefore more danger, hence more law enforcement. meanwhile, the less-populated western states are more open to interpretation...

[–] Tyler421 15 years ago

A huge chunk of West Texas has a speed limit of 80. I think I read somewhere that this is the highest legal limit in the country. But, come on, there's nothing but desert out there!