While searching the web for reports on speeding I found many different participants interested in the speeding issue from all walks of life. Many people including the magazine Car & Driver, July 1994 issue http://dm.deskmedia.com/~dev/speeding.html, promoted speeding and even disscussed ways to speed and beat the law. Most people in support of speeding wanted to change exisitng speed limits for being to slow. While the few who looked down on speeding, urged speeding drivers to reduce their speed for the sake of safety. According to one Mr. Carleton http://www.engsoc.carleton.ca/~iscwong/ our government is "delibrately setting the speed limit too low, and then sending out cops to sneak behind motorists is highway robbery disguised as traffic safety enforcement... [in a traffic court] the robber is the plaintiff and the victim is the accused..." Mr. Carlton is not alone in his beliefs in fact he is apart of a great many other angry drivers filling the internet with ways to Fight that Speeding Ticket http://www.uop.edu/~jthor/radar.html. Like his comrades Mr. Carlton believes that he is capable of driving his car the way he likes. He has been driving for years and knows the the limits of weather and road conditnions,he is very aware of how to drive his car in bad conditions and nobody should worry about how fast he is going but himself. In contrast there are those that are in support of speed limits those who believe in safe drivieng. Sadly I found that most of those so adamently in opposition of speeding were the berieved parents or families of people killed in car accidents due to speeding http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~gweety/past.htm. It is a terrible thing to lose a loved one and even worse when the accident could have been prevented if only they had the common sence to just drive a little slower. One of article I found (SPEEDING MYTHS AND FACTS http://www.ots.org/ots/campaign/grnmyth.html )discussed the negatives of speeding in general bringing up the more money spent on gas, the cost of speeding tickets, and the over all increase in annual premiums to get your car insured if you have a traffic record. Truely speeding is a highly expensive besides being dangerous. To be a Rad Racer or Not to be? I can only say that I like to drive fast I really do even my mom likes to speed, and she taught me how to drive so go figure. However, if you weigh the risks is speeding really worth it? We cannot control are cars adequetly at high speeds. Speed limits are posted for a reason, and that is to provide a safer highways for every one. From a Traffic Psychologist's perspective I can only asentuate on the negative characteristics of speeding. Speeding does not alow any driver adequete time to observe and react to road conditons, thus making road conditions unsafe. However, speed limits are not keeping people from driving fast. Rules are made to be broken, the only sure way to illeviate speeding would be to make the attendance of traffic psychology seminars requiered on lisence renewal. If all drivers could successfuly compleat a driving make over. I think the roads would be a safer place. Parents Against Speeding Teens Fight that Speeding Tickethttp://www.soc.hawaii.edu/~leonj/leonj/459f96/secretar/public_html/home.htmlSUCCESSFUL SPEEDING July 1994 Car & Driver 1.Select Proper equipment Avoid bright red performance cars Non-descript mouse-gray "family" cars pass by unnoticed Choose sports sedans such as Taurus SHO, Infinity Q45, etc. a GOOD Radar Detector 2.Recognize the threat early Avoid excessive speeding on sparsely traveled highways. There will be no radar cover for you. This applies to both day and night driving. Pay attention to Radar alerts, especially X-band "blips" on a rural highway. This may turn out to be K-band bouncing of a car in front of you. Learn to recognize "threat" vehicles, such as Mustang LX's, full-size Chevrolets, Dodge Diplomats, Plymouth Gran Fury's, etc. Identifying "threat" vehicles: windshield pillar mounted spotlight, stabilizer bar underside car ( especially on Chevrolets ), wide perfor- mance tires. Rules apply whenever vehicle approaches from front or rear - slow down for positive identification! 3.Maintain good daytime scan Golden Rule #1 restated: Innocuous cars may pass unnoticed. Slow down when approaching underpasses - enforcer may be on far side behind the concrete. Be suspicious of vehicles parked on the inside or outside shoulder until a positive I.D. is made. Check On-ramps: give a quick look to the top of the on-ramp. Slow down whenever you notice a vehicle behind you matching your speed for a positive identification. The vehicle matching your speed will not be getting smaller in your rear-view mirror. 4.Maintain a good night scan Moving up on an enforcer vehicle: learn to identify taillights. Good example is the Mustang LX. Immediately look for the folded in spotlight. Prime rule for nighttime driving: drive fast enough so that all head- lights of passed motorists reduce rapidly in size. Any air of headlamps that maintains the same distance will need to be identified. 5.Practice Stealth, deception, and "hiding" Find a "hare" who is pleased to demonstrate that his car is better than yours. Drop back to a safe distance and enjoy the radar shield. Do maintain your rear scan though. Run at times with lights, then at times without, hiding yourself in front of a group of trucks when you change illumination. The reason for this is that an enforcer, having "noticed" you from a long distance back, will be looking for a certain as-yet-unidentified vehicle with lights ( or without ) as he moves quickly up through traffic. Suddenly, he is in identifiable range of a vehicle similar in size and shape to the one he believes may have been violating, only now the illumination is different from what he saw before, thus rendering him unsure. Follow- ing rules #2 and #3, you will have slowed down to quasi-legal speed. This will confuse the officer, especially if you have removed your radar detector from the windshield or visor. Placement and removal of the radar detector is crucial. The unit should be directly in front of you so that a following threat vehicle cannot see it. If you believe you have been actively "noticed", hide in front of a large truck, accelerate while under cover, and exit any off-ramp or rest area. You will have nothing to lose at this juncture. Any time an officer moves in on you, remove the detector at once and place it in the seat next to you. If you are in imminent danger of being stopped, execute the following emergency procedure in sequence: (1) remove detector and jam under seat; (2) wipe off suction cup or other tell-talke marks with moistened index fingertip, and (3) Replace the cigarette lighter ! An empty cigarette lighter is a dead giveaway to the officer that he is dealing with a chronic offender. He will treat you accordingly. 6.Beware of slow moving "clumps" Clumps are largish groups of vehicles covering all lanes and maintain a near-legal speed. Most "loose" clumps will contain one enforcer vehicle at the front ( usually a marked cruiser, and one in the middle or at the tail of the clump. The vehicle at the rear will usually be unmarked and looking for lane changing and in-and-out weaving. Knowledge of rule #2 will make him a dead giveaway. Beware of curves, crests, and grassy medians. Instant-on may be placed so that the violator can be "shot" just as he crests the hill, before he has a chance to react. Slow down - its safer. 7.Avoid unprofessional and provocative behavior The smart motorist does not alienate others Slow to a moderate speed when passing other motorists. One of the benign-looking minivans you just ran off the road may contain an off- duty officer with a notebook and a phone. Avoid provocative license plates and bumper stickers: "How's my driving ? Call 1-800-EAT-SHIT" will not give you any breaks when stopped by an officer. 8.Maintain a high level of attention at all times Raid motoring is a serious business. Stay focused. Distractions are all incompatible with rules #1-9. 9.Behave correctly when stopped Chronic fast driving will get you stopped sooner or later. Observance of rules #1-9 will make this much, much later, but not "never". Do not act blase'. A cocky stance of "OK, so you got me" is provocative. SO is attempting to argue that there must be some terrible mistake - you know you were under the limit. Do not forget to remove your detector and follow the other steps men- tioned in rule #5. Be courteous, candid and contrite. Trembling while handing over your license demonstrates that this situation is unusual and terrifying to you. It shows respect for the law and fear of punishment. Answer the question "Do you know how fast you were going ?" with "Truly, I don't - my mind must've been wandering". "But I must have been going over the speed limit, or you wouldn't have stopped me." Note that you were not speeding deliberately - no "late for work" excuses ! Fight that Speeding Ticket Things you should know if you're gonna win! California Vehicle Code Excerpts Steps to Beating the Ticket How to Avoid Getting Another Speeding Ticket Disclaimer Things you should know if you're gonna win! NOTE: If your ticket was for speeding over the National Speed Limit, there is little, if any chance, that you will win. Just pay the fine. However, if you go to court, and anything at all, just by pleading guilty, the fine will be decreased significantly. Section Code 22349 says nobody can travel over 55 MPH, except in certain cases where the limit is posted 65 or 70. Section Code 22350 is the Basic Speed Law. Under this law, you can legally travel at any speed, as long as the current conditions allow you to safely do so. However, you must still observe the Maximum Speed Law, Section 22349. Vehicle Code 22351 says you are not in violation unless you are traveling faster than what is stated in or in violation of the Basic Speed Law, Section Code 22350 . This means ideally that your actual speed does not have to be compliant with the posted speed limit as long as the above Vehicle Code Sections have not been violated. This is true, because this law says nothing about the posted speed limit. If you fully understand the meaning of this law, you can easily fight your citation. In Section 22352 , it defines the places where the prima facie law is in effect. 22356 is for your reference only. It says the Department of Transportation has the right to raise the speed limit to 60 or 65 MPH, after consulting the California Highway Patrol. Here is a technical issue. Section 40503 states that everything that you receive pertaining to the case must include the prima facie or posted speed limit, the time, the place, the vehicle identify and any offense that you allegedly violated. Section 40505 further states that all items pertaining to the violation must be filled out on the citation. These are relevant grounds for dismissal. Even if the law enforcement officers deny it, speed traps in California are illegal!!! Section 40802 of the California Vehicle Code defines a speed trap, and Section 40801 states that use of a speed trap to arrest a person for speeding is illegal. Section Codes 40801 and 40802 mean that airplane surveillance tickets are illegal, unless the arresting officer has paced your vehicle to determine your speed. This means the officer who pulls you over must have determined your speed by himself. The ticket he writes you is illegal if it was the airplane that determined your speed. The airplane surveillance continues to happen, because the citizens don't know the law; they don't know about or understand these Vehicle Codes. If the arresting officer says anything about the airplane officer determining your vehicle's speed, both the aircraft officer and the citing officer have to show up in court, or the judge has to dismiss the citation. Furthermore, Section 40803 says that the peace officer cannot bring to court, any evidence of your vehicle's speed, if that evidence was obtained in a speed trap. Part b) adds, if the officer obtained your speed with an electronic device, he must prove that he did not obtain your speed in a speed trap. And part c) clarifies that: within the last 5 years, if the transportation engineering team conducted a speed survey for that particular stretch of highway, then the citation was not given within a speed trap. Section 40804 says that any officer cannot be used as a witness in court, if the citation was given in a speed trap, or if that witness was not wearing a police officer uniform, or driving a marked police car. Marked can mean a color designated by the Chief of Police or commissioner. I've seen some light-blue cars in Fresno with no markings at all. In Modesto, there are some white and some tan cars with no markings either. The only distinguishable feature is they have a row of yellow lights inside their back windows, and sometimes a red light on the front for pulling people over. These cars are usually easily spotted by the cautious driver -- they are late generation Chevrolet Caprices. California Vehicle Code Section Excerpts Maximum Speed Limit 22349. Except as provided in Section 22356 , no person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway a a speed greater than 55 miles per hour. Basic Speed Law 22350. No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety or persons or property. Speed Law Violations 22351. a) The speed of any vehicle upon a highway not in excess of the limits specified in Section 22352 or established as authorized in this code is lawful unless clearly proved to be in violation of the basic speed law. b) The speed of any vehicle upon a highway in excess of the prima facie speed limits in Section 22352 or established as authorized in this code is prima facie unlawful unless the defendant establishes by competent evidence that the speed in excess of said limits did not constitute a violation of the basic speed law at the time, place and under the conditions then existing. Prima Facie Speed Limits 22352. The prima facie limits are as follows and shall be applicable unless changed as authorized in this code and, if so changed, only when signs have been erected giving notice thereof: a) Fifteen miles per hour: 1) Approaching a railway crossing, if the driver does not have a clear and unobstructed view 400 feet in both directions along the railway. (Abbrv'ed) 2) Entering an intersection, if the driver does not have a clear and unobstructed view 100 feet in either direction. (Abbrv'ed) 3) On any alley. b) Twenty-five miles per hour: 1) On any highway other than a state highway, in any business or residence district unless a different speed is determined by local authority under procedures set forth in this code. 2) Around a school, with a posted standard "SCHOOL" warning sign, while children are going to or leaving the school either during school hours or during the noon recess period. The prima facie also applies where the school has no fence, gate or other physical barrier, with a posted "SCHOOL" sign.(Abbrv'ed) 3) Around a senior center with a standard "SENIOR" warning sign. A local authority is not required to erect any sign until donations are received from private sources to cover the costs.(Abbrv'ed) Increase of Freeway Limit 22356. After consulation with the CHP, the DOT, may increase a section of a highway to a speed greater than 55 MPH, at 60 MPH or 65 MPH. No person shall drive a vehicle upon that highway at a speed greater than 60 or 65 miles per hour, as posted. Speed Charge 40503. Every notice to appear or notice of violation and every complaint or information charging a violation of any provision of this code regulating the speed of vehicles upon a highway shall specify the approximate speed at which the defendant is alleged to have driven and exactly the prima facie or maximum speed limit applicable to the highway at the time and place of the alleged offense and shall state any other speed limit alleged to have been exceeded if applicable to the particular type of vehicle or combination of vehicles operated by the defendant. Copy of Notice 40505. Whenever any traffic or police officer delivers a notice to appear or notice of violation charging an offense under this code to any person, it shall include all information set forth upon the copy of the notice filed with a magistrate and no traffic or police officer shall set forth on any notice filed with a magistrate or attach thereto or accompany the notice with any written statement giving information or containing allegations which have not been delivered to the person receiving the notice to appear or notice of violation. Speed Trap Prohibition 40801. No peace officer or other person shall use a speed trap in arresting, or participating or assisting in the arrest of, any person for any alleged violation of this code nor shall any speed trap be used in securing evidence as to the speed of any vehicle for the purpose of an arrest or prosecution under this code. Speed Trap 40802. A "speed trap" is either of the following: a) A particular section of a highway measured as to distance and with boundaries marked, designated, or otherwise determined in order that the speed of a vehicle may be calculated by securing the time it takes the vehicle to travel the known distance. b) A particular section of a highway with a prima facie speed limit provided by this code or by local ordinance pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) or Section 22352 , or established pursuant to Section 22354 , which speed limit is not justified by an engineering and traffic survey conducted within five years prior to the date of the alleged violation, and where enforcement involves the use of radar or other electronic devices which measure the speed of moving objects. This subdivision does not apply to local streets and roads. For the purposes of this section, local streets and roads shall be defined by the latest functional usage and federal-aid system maps as submitted to the Federal Highway Administration. When these maps have not been submitted, the following definition will be used: A local street or road primarily provides access to abutting residential property and shall meet the following three conditions: 1.Roadway width of not more than 40 feet. 2.Not more than one-half mile of uninterrupted length. Interruptions shall include official traffic control devices as defined in Section 445. 3.Not more than one traffic lane in each direction.(Abbrv'ed) Speed Trap Evidence 40803. a) No evidence as to the speed of a vehicle upon a highway shall be admitted in any court upon the trial of any person for an alleged violation of this code when the evidence is based upon or obtained from or by the maintenance or use of a speed trap. b) In any prosecution under this code of a charge involving the speed of a vehicle, where enforcement involves the use of radar or other electronic devices which measure the speed of moving objects, the prosecution shall establish, as part of its prima facie case, that the evidence or testimony presented is not based upon a speed trap as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 40802. c) When a traffic and engineering survey is required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 40802, evidence that a traffic and engineering survey has been conducted within five years of the date of the alleged violation or evidence that the offense was committed on a local street or road as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 40802 shall constitute a prima facie case that the evidence or testimony is not based upon a speed trap as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 40802. Testimony Based on Speed Trap 40804. a) In any prosecution under this code upon a charge involving the speed of a vehicle, any officer or other person shall be incompetent as a witness if the testimony is based upon or obtained from or by the maintenance of use of a speed trap. b) Every officer arresting, or participating or assisting in the arrest of, a person so charged while on duty for the exclusive or main purpose of enforcing the provisions of Divions 10 [Accidents and Accident Reports] and 11 [Rules of the Road] is incompetent as a witness if at the time of such arrest he was not wearing a distinctive uniform, or was using a motor vehicle not painted the distinctive color specified by the commissioner. This section does not apply to undercover officers. (Abbrv'ed) Admission of Speed Trap Evidence 40805. Every court shall be without jurisdiction to render a judgment of conviction against any person for a violation of this code involving the speed of a vehicle if the court admits any evidence or testimony secured in violation of, or which is inadmissable under this article. Steps to Beating the Speeding Ticket 1.Do your homework. It is VERY important that you understand what everything means. This cannot be emphasized enough. Read and learn what the Vehicle Code that you alleged violated means. Find other Vehicle Codes that are relevant to your dismissal and learn those too. Current copies of the California Vehicle Code book can be bought at your local DMV for about $10, or most of the speeding Codes are listed here (most in its full entirety, and some abbreviated). 2.Schedule a date for the hearing and go to court earlier. Dress in something nice. Any person will be more respectable when dressed up. On that day, show courtesy, especially to the judge. He is your ticket out. DO NOT PLEAD GUILTY or NO CONTEST!!! A no contest plea is the same as a GUILTY plea. 3.Let the officer tell his side of the story; remember that for airplane tickets, both officers have to show up, unless the arresting officer says he paced you, or has other evidence of your vehicle's speed. In those cases, he is the only one that has to show up. If the officer(s) don't show up in court, the judge may re-schedule another hearing date, if the officer called the court ahead of time, but the judge MUST dismiss the citation if the officer does not show up AND does not call. If you can, re-schedule the appearance date to a day that you think the officer will be on vacation. Chances are, he's more interested in his vacation. 4.The judge will then ask you if you have any questions for the officer. 5.If there was something that the officer left out that you think is relevant to your case, or if there is a discrepancy between your story and his, tell the judge your side of the story; provide the judge with details pertaining to the case, such as the time of day, location, if there were other cars around, etc. Draw pictures if you have to. Use the blackboard. Request to schedule a trip to the location, if you have to. If the evidence presented in court is strong enough for the judge to believe you, he will go. Don't lie, but don't frame yourself either, i. e. don't say anything stupid. Point out anything and everything, especially things that the officer says "wrong", that will lead to the dismissal of your citation. If you think the officer's story was correct and enough, then don't tell your story. However, it is almost always better to hear your point of view if you've practiced it. It's better for the judge to hear things over and in your own words.. 6.Ask the officer what Vehicle Code Section he cited you for violating. If he states a Vehicle Code that is not on your citation, the judge has the right to dismiss the case right there. If he correctly identifies the correct Code(s) on your citation, then ask him when the last time he read that Vehicle Code was. Ask him to state what the Code Section says (and means) -- DO NOT make the mistake of just reading the Code Section for him. Always ask him to state it first. If he states anything the same as the Section Code states, then ask him what to relate the Section Code, that he states you violated, to what he just said. Most of the time, he will try to make up something. When stating the Vehicle Code, if he says something different than what you know the Code to be, then ask him if he's sure. If he's positive, then ask the judge to read the Code to him (traffic court judges always have a copy of the California Vehicle Code). 7.Now ask the officer to find any relevancy or grounds that he took in giving you the citation. If he senses he is in trouble, he will admit his guilt. In most cases, he will find a way to legalize his citation. Remember, the officer and the judge are on the same side. Argue your point and stand your ground. Do not stand down or be unsure of what you are saying. Being strong makes the judge realize that you are a knowledgeable citizen. 8.Tell the judge, "I have no more use for this officer." Go home and wait for your dismissal letter. Don't be upset if you don't get a dismissal; you can still go to traffic school. Just remember that you're getting a decreased fine also. Hints for Avoiding a Speeding Ticket Learn what type of vehicles the police and CHP uses. The local police usually have big vehicles. These vehicles are late model Chevrolet Caprices or Ford Crown Victorias. Some departments may have older Fords also. I've seen some marked late model Chevrolet Cavaliers also. Larger cities may have two-door Jeep Cherokees for K-9 units. On the highway, CHP vehicles include the usual Chevrolet Caprice, Chevrolet Lumina, Ford Taurus, Ford Crown Victorias, and Ford Mustang. Metropolitan area CHPs will also have Chevrolet Camaros targeting speeders. CHP departments are also incorporating late model Chevrolet Cavaliers. Be on the look out for motorcycles in both departments, too. Usually the larger cars are more easily spotted. From the front or rear, you can see the shotgun as a vertical "line" down the middle of the windshield or rear window. They usually carry a shotgun stored upright between the driver and the passenger seats. These cars also have the bumper bars on the front of the car. Newer cars do not have the red and blue lights on top, so becareful. They do have lights just inside of the rear window and a spotlight on the driver's side. When driving on the freeway, look in your mirror for fast-moving black vehicles. These are usually Mustangs or Camaros. Some states use Corvettes, but I don't think California does. These vehicles are designed to accelerate and travel distances in a very short time. The drivers of these vehicles will tend to let speeders go by and then try to catch up and pull them over. Face it! Everyone likes speed, especially cops. They're paid to go fast. Motorcycles can be spotted easily also. The front of motorcycles are white and wide. If you've seen the front of a big Kawasaki, you'll know what I mean. These bikes have a single round headlight, with two round amber signal lights on either side. The rider will have a white helmet. From the rear, you can spot them easily, especially at night. Motorcycles have blue lights on the rear. No other vehicle on the road has blue lights. They carry two big black boxes on the rear along with a long antenna. Usually CHP motorcycles travel in pairs, side-by-side. City police also travel in pairs, unless they're on speed enforcement patrol. Watch the behavior of other cars. Watch for bunched up cars. Usually, these cars are following a law enforcement vehicle. Watch other cars' speeds also. When fast traveling vehicles slow down suddenly, there's something going on. They see something. Watch for brake lights ahead of you too. Buy a good radar and laser detector and learn how to use it effectively. Learn how it works -- what the different tones mean and when it is picking up interference or the real thing. Radar and laser detectors are not illegal in California, except for some parts in Los Angeles. Almost all areas do not use laser, due to its cost. They usually have radar. The effective range of radar is about one mile. A good detector will pick up radar in 3 miles. I recommend the Valentine One or one of Bel's detectors. Buy a scanner. A good one is the Uniden Bearcat scanner. Learn how to program and use it. Scanners are good for locating officers, as well as traffic reports. Officers usually report their location to HQ. Helping Teens HAVE a Future On August 8, 1996 Jason Smith and Ernie Glover were involved in a tragic car accident that cost them their lives. The 16yr old boys were returning home after completing their final day of summer school when they attempted to pass another car at approx. 92mph when they crashed into a van coming in the opposite direction. Both boys were killed in the crash, but the real victim here was the driver of the van. He now lays in the hospital, paralyzed from the chest down as a result of bad judgement and inexperience. The families of Jason and Ernie have turned their grief into strength and determination to make a statement to our young drivers... We have formed P.A.S.T., Parents Against Speeding Teens, to get a message out. Our main focus is on the safety and education of our young adults. We feel they need to be aware of the severe consequences of speeding and reckless driving. It is our intention to hold assemblies at area high schools to talk to teens who are about to begin driving or already are driving. We want them to understand that they are not only taking their own lives into their hands but those of innocent drivers and their families. Teenagers feel that they are invincible, that nothing will happen to them. Well, we're sure that's what Jason and Ernie thought too. Driving is a privilege that CAN NOT be abused. Stiffer penalties and increased education are needed. P.A.S.T. has begun the process of creating new penalties for drivers 16-21 years of age stopped for excessive speed and reckless driving. We would like to see our proposal put into law. It would read: Original license holders under 21, upon conviction of any violation-level, shall be suspended automatically ("conviction" to include pleas of guilty and nolo.) No DOS hearing is necessary. The time frame for this conviction would be; first offense: 30 days, second offense: 6 months or until 21st birthday. Along with this penalty will be a mandatory safe drivers class at the violators expense. Other suggested Legislation SEAT BELT LAW Raise the Mandatory Seat Belt law from 12yrs old to 18yrs old. New Hampshire is the ONLY state in the nation without a mandatory seat belt law. We do not want to punish all teenagers. BUT, we need to set some tougher penalties for those teens that are not responsible enough to slow down. Hopefully, this will save their lives and those of innocent people on our roads. LET'S NOT LOSE ANYMORE OF OUR CHILDREN 4) SUMMARY SUMMARY ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Daytime Interstate Speed Limit: # Of States | 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 None ---------------------------------------------------- Pre-NMSL 0 4 5 29 10 0 0 2 Post-NMSL (1) 3 0 28 9 9 0 0 1 Prevailing Speed: | 60 65 70 75 None -------------------------------------------------------- Pre-NMSL (2) | 65-70 66-69 71-76 72-76 76-77 See a pattern here? Note how the pre-NMSL speed limits generally equaled the speed of traffic. Also notice how when there was NO speed limit traffic didn't go above 80. Something that will hopefully comeback once the NMSL is repealed. Notice also how only 10 states had speed limits of 65 or less. (1) May not always be up to date (Last updated 6/1/96) (2) Estimated speed. They didn't use the the 85th percentile rule (prevailing speed) back them. Source: "Pre NMSL data" {pre-NMSL} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) CREDITS Etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1996 by Kevin Atkinson. A service of the "Reasonable Drivers Unanimous" home page available at http://sunsite.unc.edu/rdu/. Special thanks to National Motorist Association (NMA) for providing a lot of this info. The NMA is the only real drivers rights organization in North America. They are the ones that got the NMSL repealed in the first place. For more information see there web page at http://www.motorists.com/ or contact them at 608/849-6000; nma@motorists.com; or 6678 Pertzborn Road, Dane, Wisconsin 53529. All of the information in this chart comes from offical or semi-offical sources. Source for Pre-NMSL speed limits: Federal Highway Administration, 1972 except for NC and NJ. Sources for the 65 dates: High Risk States, Table 3 Unknown Risk States, Table 4, States at Risk. AHAS Press Release, Nov13 1995. Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety Unknown source from the insurance company. Some of the sources for the post-NMSL data: NMA AAA "A state-by-state look at speed limits" by the associated press, USA Today Online "DOA States" by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (http://www.saferoads.org/press/95/strisk/table2.html) ,,,,,,,,,