Speed Limit May Increase to 70

Virginia law currently specifies the maximum speed limit as 65 miles per hour. There is one exception for Interstate 85, but everywhere else is only 65 mph.

That may change.

The Virginia House of Delegates voted today in favor of a bill to increase the maximum speed limit to 70 mph. The Associated Press seems confident that the bill will become law.

I’m a bit torn on this one. People already drive at least 70 mph on I-95. But I regularly have clients who are charged with driving 85 or 90 mph.

If we raise the legal limit to 70, I wonder if people will just drive even faster. 80 mph doesn’t seem bad then. It’s only 10 over the limit. But 80 is reckless driving, a misdemeanor.

I’m all for getting places faster, but I would hate to see more accidents on the highways.