The 5 US States With The Highest Speed Limits (And 5 With The Slowest)

During World War II, the United States imposed what it called a Victory speed limit, lowering the speed limit to 35 mph. This was to aid the war effort, conserving gasoline and rubber for the battle against the Axis powers. In the wake of the Second World War, with the hard times seemingly over, cars got faster, the American highway system expanded greatly, and Americans developed a need for speed.

Today, every state has its own speed limit. Some are faster than others, with various factors dictating just which speeds people are allowed to drive in cities, on back roads, and on the interconnected highway system that stretches from sea to shining sea. Let's take a look at 10 different states, five of which have the slowest speed limits in the country and five of which have the fastest, allowing American drivers to push their cars to the limit without enduring the wrath of local police or highway patrol. 

The most recent addition to the United States, Hawaii became part of the Union in 1959. A series of several islands located in the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is seen as one of the world's premier vacation destinations, thanks in no small part to serving as the setting for no fewer than three Elvis Presley movies: "Blue Hawaii," "Girls Girls Girls," and "Paradise Hawaiian Style" (to say nothing of his 1973 TV concert event, "Aloha From Hawaii"). Alas, he never brought his iconic pink Cadillac to Hawaii.

Considering its status as a tourist destination, perhaps it makes sense that Hawaii would have a restrictive speed limit. On average, Hawaii's cars can't legally go faster than 60 mph, with an average speed limit of 58 mph. This probably makes sense on winding coastal roads since nobody wants to see cars go flying off the mountain and into the ocean below, at least until they get around to shooting a "Fast & Furious" movie in the state. Notably, the video game "The Crew: Motorfest" is set on a scaled-down version of several Hawaiian islands. Thankfully, like any self-respecting high-intensity arcade racer, Motorfest completely ignores the speed limit in favor of a go fast, have fun philosophy.

On average, the speed limit in New York State is a paltry 58 mph, which makes sense for someplace like New York City, arguably the urban capital of the world. Despite being the setting for "The French Connection" and its awe-inspiring car chase, New York City's grid-based layout and countless intersections simply isn't conducive to driving fast. For city people, public transportation is safer and more convenient, anyway. If you want to drive fast in a city, you're better off moving to Los Angeles, legendary traffic jams notwithstanding.

New York is much bigger than a single city, but even its endless highways boast a maximum speed limit of just 65 mph, which was the national standard way back in 1987. Why so slow? Perhaps the answer lies in the geographical diversity of New York. The state is surprisingly mountainous, hosting the Catskill Mountains, the Adirondack Mountains, and even part of the iconic Appalachian Mountains. All told, there are over 3800 named mountains in New York, and with that in mind, it's easy to see why drivers need to be careful. You won't just get trapped in a ditch in one wrong turn. You'll go flying off a mountain.

In terms of land area, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the USA. It covers only around 1,214 square miles, and with a population of only 1.112 million people, it's not exactly the most densely populated state in the Union. If you drive too fast, you'll be in and out before you even know it. Maybe the average speed limit is only 58 mph in an effort to keep people in the state as long as possible. That's probably a stretch, though.

In truth, Rhode Island is seen as something of a throwback, old-timey state alongside Vermont (but we'll get to that one later). The state is an interesting juxtaposition of colonial-style towns and surprisingly big cities like Providence, the capital. Rhode Island has miles of coastline and shoreline to its name and tons of beaches to go along with its charmingly sleepy hamlets. Despite its small size, Rhode Island also features over 13,500 miles of roads, and that density undoubtedly contributes to the state's restrictive speed limits.

Like Rhode Island, Vermont is a sleepy New England state known more for being the birthplace of Ben & Jerry's ice cream than any kind of street racing scene. After Wyoming, Vermont is the most sparsely populated state in the Union, with only 640,000 residents. Across all 50 states, Vermont has the most miles of dirt roads: over 8,550 miles of dirt roads, compared to just 7,213 miles of paved roads. Anyone who's tried to drive fast on an unpaved dirt road knows how much of a hassle it is, or they've learned the hard way just how easy it is to accidentally overturn a car. Thus, it makes sense for Vermont to have an average speed limit of 57 mph. It's slow, but at least their internet is fast (and cheap, too!)

Perhaps the residents of Vermont don't see any need to drive fast. They're generally stereotyped as a laid-back bunch, as evidenced by their state's widespread adoption of marijuana usage. According to a 2022 study by Statista, over 34% of Vermont residents said they used marijuana within the last year, the highest percentage of any state in the Union. Generally, people high on marijuana don't tend to drive fast. The popular stereotype is that they drive notoriously slow. That's not to say anyone should ever drive while under the influence of any kind of drug, including alcohol. Driving while stoned is illegal. Seriously, if you're under the influence of any drug, don't drive. 

Simply put, Alaska is Sammy Hagar's worst nightmare. In his hit 1984 song, "I Can't Drive 55," he makes it clear that he cannot drive 55 mph. He needs to go faster than that. Alas, with an average speed limit of 55 mph, the slowest in the United States, Alaska is not for drivers who like to go fast, especially if they're a second-tier Van Halen frontman.

In 1974, during the global oil crisis, the United States passed a national maximum speed law, which capped the maximum speed limit in the whole country at a mere 55 mph. While this limit would be raised to 65 mph in the 1980s, the law would ultimately be repealed in 1995, allowing states to choose their own speed limits. Alaska apparently never got the memo. Certain highways in the country's largest state have a 65 mph limit, but for the most part, anyone driving above 55 mph is bound to get a speeding ticket. Perhaps they're concerned that fast drivers might crash into wandering caribou, or maybe the lawmakers believe in the myth that Alaska is an entirely frozen tundra when that's only true in the northernmost regions.

We've covered the slow, boring states, so now it's time to look at the fast, exciting states. And when one thinks of fast and exciting, the first state that comes to mind is, of course, Utah. Despite its mountainous topography, Utah is one of the most lenient states in the Union in terms of speed limits. The average speed limit is a cool 75 mph, which means that if you stay on the highway with plans on just passing through, you won't have to stay in Utah for very long. Or maybe they need to drive fast to stay awake since nobody drinks coffee in Utah.

Joking aside, Utah has a diverse topography. Unlike New York, which has its roads built directly onto its mountains, much of Utah's asphalt paths navigate the dangerous terrain with greater efficiency. Thus, it's relatively safe to drive fast through the state's famous rattlesnake deserts insofar as it's ever truly safe to drive around in a gas-powered combustible chimera of fiberglass and steel.

Utah has slowly increased its speed limits over the last several years. Rural interstate highways had a speed limit of 75 mph until 2008, when a law was passed enabling speed limits to be raised above 75 mph. It took until 2009 for the first roads to actually adopt an 80 mph limit, with more added in subsequent years. Give it a few more years, and Utah's average speed limit may rise even higher.

With only 590,000 residents, the single least populated state in the Union, Wyoming, is also the tenth-largest state. There's a lot of land and not a lot of people. While the state does boast the Rocky Mountains, it also features the Great Plains, a wide open stretch of land that's perfect for driving fast, preferably with the top down and wind whipping through your hair.

Between the majestic mountains and the endless plains, Wyoming is one of the most picturesque states in the country, so while the average speed limit is a zippy 75 mph, you might want to spend some time in the slow lane so you can soak up the scenery. This is, after all, the home of Yellowstone National Park, one of the most gorgeous natural habitats in the country. Wyoming is sometimes derisively referred to as a flyover state, but America is a large and wonderful place. Whether in a bustling city, a dense forest, a wide-open plain, or a massive mountain range, there's always beauty to behold.

Just to the west of Wyoming is Idaho, which boasts an average speed limit of 77 mph. When one gets bored of looking at endless fields of potatoes (Idaho's State vegetable), they can race to one of the cities to buy ... potatoes. Of course, if you don't feel like eating potatoes, you can also eat one of the state's more peculiar desserts, the ice cream potato. Despite its name, the dish doesn't actually have any potato or potato flavor but is just ice cream molded into the shape of a loaded baked potato. They do have potato-flavored ice cream, though, if you're into that sort of thing.

Potatoes aside, Idaho is a state defined by its outdoor fun, from the fishing and watersports of the iconic Snake River to the scenic Rocky Mountains and beautiful geysers and hot springs. Basically, if you want to go anywhere to have a good time, you'll need to drive, and if you have a nice car, you might want to drive fast, within the bounds of law and safety, of course. That way, you can find more potato-based products. 

For some reason, there are two Dakotas. There are a few reasons why, but if there are two Virginias, why not two Dakotas? In any case, South Dakota boasts an average speed limit of 77 mph, which is five mph faster than North Dakota. The state is largely part of the Great Plains region, which means it consists of wide open expanses of flat land just begging to be taken with as much speed as your car can muster.

Perhaps South Dakota's need for speed is part of why it plays host to the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, an annual event that's been held since 1938. A celebration of motorcycle culture and America's love of all things fast and loud, the event draws around 500,000 vehicles every year to Sturgis and the Black Hills, bringing in an estimated $800 million to the state. Historically, biker culture doesn't mix well with law enforcement, so holding the event in a state with relatively lax speed limits makes sense. Even so, the 2024 event saw 12 fatalities as a result of motorcycle accidents and dozens of non-fatal injuries.

In terms of the average speed limit, the fastest state in the Union is Texas, the Lone Star State. The second-largest state, Texas boasts nearly 80,000 miles of highways. While the state does feature some mountainous terrain, Texas is mainly defined by its vast deserts, sweeping plains, and endless highways that stretch out to the horizon and beyond. Not to mention those weird horizontal traffic lights.

These highways can be tackled with the state's average speed limit of 78 mph, but speed limits can reach as much as 85 mph on particular highways and toll roads. If you find yourself on an empty stretch of highway, you can really put the pedal to the metal and let 'er rip, so to speak. While some find it fun to drive fast, the dark side of the equation is that studies have shown that an increase in the speed limit corresponds to more grievous injuries and higher fatalities when it comes to traffic accidents. If you choose to drive fast, you're doing so at your peril. In 2022, 4,408 Texans died in car crashes, more victims than any other state except for California, which saw 4,428 fatalities but also has a population of 39 million, compared to Texas's 30 million.