This article is penned by author Kathryn Roebuck, with gentle support from AI tools for grammar review and layout refinement. Every editorial decision and phrase is thoughtfully crafted by a human hand, ensuring originality throughout.
Speed is a debate issue nowadays in North Dakota. The American state is changing its traffic laws by increasing its limit, which creates a sense of unsafety among neighbors.
The state thought this speed limit change was a good way to adapt to society, but they have also implemented measures to prevent drivers from getting used to reaching high speed. The North Dakota state is changing its traffic law by increasing its speed limit up to 80 miles per hour (mph). Let’s see what this change is all about and why it is disturbing North Dakota residents.
Speed limit decisions in North Dakota
First and foremost, you should know the government is not the one in charge of the speed limits in America, it is the States the one responsible for this. So, on the 1st of August of this year, the North Dakota state is changing its traffic law by increasing its speed limit up to 80 miles per hour (mph) – 5 miles more than before.
The State was very keen on getting this change that it was the third attempt to pass the law. The reason behind it was to balance their speed limit to the ones from South Dakota and Montana, which are near North Dakota and already had the 80 miles per hour law implemented. The northern State thought this was a good idea since drivers would not be confused when exiting and entering a different state, and the fact that drivers were getting used to driving over 75 miles per hour.
Dissatisfied Americans
Even though the North Dakota state saw this increased speed limit as an important action for their residents, people didn’t agree. The main opposite thought on the new law was the rise of deathly and critical accidents, as consequences of the decreasing reaction time when driving that fast.
Authorities have heard the claims and they have increased the speeding fines as an obstacle for fast drivers to drive safely as indicated on the roadways. These fines will vary depending on the speed exceeded limit at certain places: if the speed is exceeded 65 mph on a highway, the cost will be $5 per mile exceeded. Hoewer, fines on rural and urban roads are between $3 and $20 per mile. In addition, drivers will pay $20 extra for going over 16 mph.
Mix of speed limits in U.S.A
Now that North Dakota is trying to match Montana and South Dakota states’ speed regulations to maximize drivers’ experience on the interstate highways, other states like Hawaii are doing the opposite. This state’s speed limit is 55 mph and it is trying to do the opposite of the previously mentioned states, implement lower speed limits (to larger vehicles). This regulation has the same goal as the one in South Dakota, which is shocking as both states are proposing different speed limits.
It is very difficult to have a fully developed opinion when you see different states advocating for their residents’ safety, but doing totally different things. Hawaii’s safety speed is 55 mph and the one in South Dakota is 80 mph, so who is right? What’s more, people are worried about drivers’ safety and their own, which is totally coherent, as we are flooded with car crash figures on the news all the time.
Do you think the increase of fines amount of money is a solution? Drivers might not be scared of an accident and maybe the will of getting fined, but at least you just get used to driving as indicated if speed posts were similar between a state and another. Perhaps, the solution would be to equal the speed limit all over the states of the United States of America so that drivers are familiar with the traffic law.
