Exceeding the speed limit is one of the most common ways drivers and other road users get involved in an accident. It has been consistently shown that the more you speed, the larger your risk of serious injury and fatality is. To clamp down on these, states are starting to become much stricter when it comes to monitoring speeding. Not only has law enforcement drawn on the assistance of automated technology to catch people speeding, but states are also introducing increased fines and even lowering speed limits to discourage drivers from driving at high speeds.
The dangers of speeding
Across the nation, states are introducing increased precautions and fines to reduce speeding-related road fatalities and serious injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly one-third of road fatalities can be attributed to a speeding driver. While it can be tempting to speed, especially when you are in a rush, doing so greatly endangers not only your own well-being but the lives of others.
“Speeding accounts for nearly one-third of all fatalities on our roads and puts everyone at risk, including people in other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and people with disabilities,” Acting Administrator Carlson said. “NHTSA reminds everyone to slow down and arrive safely – it’s better to arrive a few minutes late than not at all.”
In 2023, data from the NHTSA showed that 12,330 individuals died in speeding-related collisions in 2021. This statistic represented an 8% increase in speeding-related fatalities between 2020 and 2021. This amounts to 29% of all 2021 traffic fatalities. Additionally, there was a 7% increase in the expected number of injuries from speeding-related collisions. Motorbike riders in particular seem to speed the most.
Indiana introduces a new speed limit, but it’s not what you think
While it is well-known that speeding increases the risk of road-traffic accidents, what is also interesting to note that driving too slowly can also cause problems. If a driver is not driving fast enough on a highway, it can actually cause problems for other drivers as the faster drivers need to brake suddenly on account for the slower driver which could cause an accident.
House Bill 1461 in the Indiana General Assembly addresses just that. According to data collected by the Indiana Department of Transportation a few years ago, they found that 96% of drivers’ speeds at a northwest section of the interstate, recorded over 13 days, were over the limit. Since then, the Department has been under pressure to raise the speed limit. The new bill now allows drivers to drive at 65 miles per hour legally on Interstate 465, starting from July 1 of this year.
Other states pass legislation to address slow drivers
Indiana is not the only state addressing concerns over slow drivers. In New Mexico, the state has proposed a new bill to increase the minimum speed trucks can drive at to also be 65 miles per hour. If drivers do not obey, they would be fined $250. The increase in speed limits for trucks is attempting to prevent traffic congestion as well as stop drivers from trying to speed past trucks.
“The issue is with the big corporate trucks that are governed at like 62, 65. Independent truckers run 75. (Big corporate trucks) are the guys who clog it up. It is a mess. I don’t know how to solve it … That’s why I wrote a no – for the independent truckers,” said Senator . Joshua Sanchez in March 2025.
While accidents for driving over the speed limit far outpace accidents from driving too slowly, these legislative changes showcase how Departments of Transport across states are working to reduce road-accidents from all angles, backed up by data and dedicated research instead of purely focusing on one aspect of traffic violations. Ensuring road safety for all road-users is critical, particularly in a world which relies on personal transport. These changes are constantly under review in response to changing circumstances on the road.
