10 US States Where Drivers Have The Lowest Interstate Speed Limits

It might be hard to believe, but there are times when driving as fast as possible is not the best option. I know! I'm not exactly a believer in that mentality, either. Yet, after taking a deep dive into the states that keep the speed limit lower than most – as opposed to those who let you drive much faster – there's some logic.

For starters, many of the states in this roundup have absolutely stunning scenery, and a slower drive is more aesthetic. Taking it all in at 60 mph, for example, means you can soak in the sunshine, maybe put the top down on a sleek BMW Z convertible, or engage in conversation with passengers who won't feel as compelled to doomscroll on their phones.

I happen to live in one of these states, and I can tell you that slowing down is not as tedious as it sounds. If the road gets curvy along a mountain pass, you can understand why lawmakers are a bit hesitant to push the limits of speed as high as they will go. Also, if you are heading out on vacation for the holidays, make a mental note about these states and their lower speed limits. You will want to keep one eye on the cruise control and one on the lush scenery.

One thing to know about Minnesota: the highways are mostly straight in the prairie, where you will see a lot of greenery. There are parts of the state that are so lush and hilly (mostly in the northern part) that I'm sure lawmakers used a "one size fits all" approach.

The speed limit for the whole state is 70 mph on most rural interstates. The urban roadways are set at 65 mph since you are closer to heavy traffic areas. That means in the Twin Cities you have to finally click off your cruise control and slow down a bit. Illinois drops the urban interstate speed all the way down to 55 mph whereas the rural areas keep it at 70 mph, so Minnesota ranks a bit higher as the only other state besides Maryland that has a 70 mph limit. 

Another interesting thing about Minnesota is that road geometry plays a big role in the speed limit laws. As you may guess, geometry is all about how often you will experience twists and turns but also the infrastructure of the roads — e.g., how wide is the shoulder, how often is there a straightaway, and other factors. Engineers run calculations to determine safe driving rules, and for Minnesotans, it's thankfully either 70 or 65 mph on interstates.

Illinois is one of the states that impose slower speed limits. It's mostly because of how they limit your speed on urban interstates. In my view, Chicago likely had some major impact on legislation about statewide speed limits, given that it's a city of 2.7 million people and has highways spread out in every corner going north, south, and west.

That means, while most rural interstates keep things moving along at 70 mph, you will have to drop down to 55 mph when you are on urban interstates. Part of the reason for that is due to traffic studies in those denser areas — more cars, more accidents. These investigations are a common method states use to determine what the speeds should be.

It's a bit curious why the speed limit drops so much lower, though, than Minnesota (which drops down to 65 in urban areas). 70 mph is a common speed limit for many states, and most of the bottom ten states with the slowest speeds are set at 65 mph but they don't drop all the way to 55 near major metros. Illinois also drops down to 55 in what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) calls the "other roads" category — typically country highways in rural areas.

Many of the states that keep speed limits low on interstates are scenic and hilly, so Maryland fits right in. The speed limit is 70 mph across the board like Minnesota and Illinois, but drops down to 55 mph on divided highways. One glance at a map and you can see that Maryland is hilly and mountainous on the western side of the state. In my view, that means it's impossible to have long stretches of the interstate where you can click-it-and-forget-it at faster speeds.

If you do head to the state known as Little America (because of the varied terrain), know that there are some recent traffic violation laws related to speeding. Basically, you are going to end up paying more depending on how fast you drive over the limit. Here's how it works: If you drive 16 to 19 mph over the limit, you can expect the fine to run $70. Punch it up to 20 to 29 mph over and the fee is $120. But if you drive 30 mph over the posted limit, it's a stiff $1,000.

While it's smooth sailing in many states that set the speed limit to 70 mph on rural interstates, Massachusetts is the first state on our list that keeps things at 65 mph on rural roadways. There's a silver lining in a way — in Massachusetts, you don't have to pay attention to the posted speed quite as often as other states that drop down the speed limit when you get closer to a major metro. The 65 mph limit applies to both rural and urban interstates.

It's only when you are on country roads and other two-lane highways that the speed limit drops to 55 mph. Again, it makes it easier to drive in the state because, in my view, lawmakers know the interstate highway system is more developed and predictable. You have Boston to contend with but, honestly, the entire state is more congested with multiple interchanges that split off to other states, based on my experience driving there. 

Massachusetts also doesn't have the varied road geometry of, say, Maryland which has mountains and coastal roads in the same state. Things are a bit more set in stone with one main speed limit.

Like Illinois, this state has to deal with the 800-pound gorilla known as New York City, home to about 8.5 million people. The sprawling metropolis spreads its long arteries out to the entire state. Not only do all roads lead to and from the Big Apple eventually, but New York — unlike Rhode Island — has to contend with urban driving patterns. The state has stuck with a 65 mph for many years. You have to drop down to 55 on some country highways. Yet, both the urban and rural interstate speed limit is set at 65 mph, which is helpful.

The good news for people who like to drive a bit faster? A speed limit change is in the works to bump up the limit to 70 mph instead on many rural interstates. The measure is not yet approved and likely won't go into effect anytime soon. As is usually the case when it comes to speed limits, the increase in speed is a result of highway surveys and collected data.

So far, we've spent most of our time on the East Coast covering the states with the slowest interstate speeds. That's not surprising, because these states tend to be more congested (base don my own driving there) and don't let you put the hammer down for long periods of time, like they do in South Dakota. The highways in Rhode Island are no different, winding around hilly areas and the Atlantic coast. The speed limit is generally 65 mph in rural highways, but it ranks slower than New York and Massachusetts because the urban roads and country highways drop to only 55 mph.

Where Rhode Island differs from New York is that, as a smaller state, there are sections of the rural interstate that switch to a country road. That can catch you by surprise. It's the smallest state in the union, so the rule of thumb is: don't get used to the posted speed. Once again, engineering studies are what determine safe driving speeds. In the case of Rhode Island (based on my experience there), there are just too many interchanges, country roads, and divided highways to set the speed limit higher.

Another state where the density of traffic and the lack of long rural interstates have impacted legislation about speed limits, Delaware keeps things safe at 65 mph on rural interstates. However, the vast majority of roads — those near suburban areas, passing through interchanges frequently, or the many two-lane country roads — drop the speed down to just 55 mph.

The 65 mph speed limit can be deceiving for those taking a vacation in Delaware, because — unlike a state such as South Dakota that lets you drive 80 mph for hours on end — you have to stay vigilant. Delaware is the second smallest state (Rhode Island is the smallest). Because of that, even though you can drive 65 mph for a while, the speed will still change quite often.

It's also important to know that just because it is a four-lane highway, you should not expect the speed limit to jump up to 65 mph. In fact, there isn't just one main artery through the state (on a map, there are roads heading everywhere) and I-495 is one of the few rural interstates that lets you drive 65 mph.

Most interstates in Connecticut are set at 55, but for those who like to push it a little faster, some rural interstates crank it up to 65. That's the technical speed limit, but something important to know about this state that's similar to Vermont: You won't be driving long distances at that speed. Connecticut highways tend to pass through suburban areas quite often, based on my review of Google Maps.

Even I-95, the coastal highway in Connecticut, won't let you drive 65 for long. Anytime you enter an urban area like New Haven you can expect to throttle it down.

The state follows some strict guidelines about what speed limit to use in those areas, evaluating factors like traffic density and even the road infrastructure (even if it is getting kind of old). We're talking about the East Coast here as well, so the interstates tend to change frequently. Interchanges that connect you from one highway to the next are common, based on what I see on Google Maps. In my view, that impacts whether legislators are willing to increase the speed limits in any areas where there isn't just a long, straight highway.

Vermont is interesting because the state speed limit in urban areas is 65 mph, like most of the states that have slower speed limits. Yet, the reason Vermont ranks low on our list is that country highways are set at only 50 mph. That is extremely low compared to other states. In fact, no other state lowers country highways down to just 50 mph.

Looking at a map of the state reveals one reason: There are few urban highways that actually let you click into 65 mph for long periods of time before you drive out of the state entirely. It's the sixth smallest state by geography but the second lowest in terms of population.

The geography is quite varied as well, based on a review of Google Maps. You are going to hit a scenic, forested area soon enough on most highways so it's best not to get comfortable at that higher speed. As is true in most states, the speed limit is based on engineering data, crash reports, and other factors.

At 60 mph, Hawaii is the state that has the slowest speed limit of all. In my view, that's mostly due to the mountains and scenery and a lack of long stretches where you can drive faster. At least it's not set even lower than that for those in a hurry. No state in the union currently makes you crank it down to 55 mph, in fact. That speed limit was enacted nationwide way back in 1974 to address concerns over the oil crisis. Congress then saw the light and raised that limit to 65 mph in 1987 and eventually gave states the ability to pick their own speed limits in 1995. Hawaii apparently didn't get that memo, though.

While the state limit is still 60 mph, that slower limit makes perfect sense when the scenery is so stunning, in my view. While you can drive 60 on urban interstates, the majority of roadways are set at 55 mph or even lower on curvy roads.

However, if you go to Hawaii on vacation and are not familiar with the speed limit laws, another fun fact about the state is that it's the only one that throttles down the speed limit to 45 mph on country highways (known as the "other roads" designation by the IIHS). Also, keep in mind that, in Hawaii, the police can use its own cars for patrol, so you might not spot a speed trap.

The data for this overview comes from a report about speed limits in the U.S. and considered rules for interstate highways only (including both urban and rural roadways). The list is ranked in reverse order, with the state that has the slowest speed limit listed last. Factors such as the geography of the state, rules governing divided highways, and speed limits for two-lane country roads were all part of the analysis.