New York, get ready to hit the gas (just a little more) because the state has just approved a bill that would raise the maximum speed limit to 70 miles per hour (113 km/h) on highways and interstates!

The Senate Bill S1500 (as it’s called) was introduced by Senator Angelo Santabarbara and aims to adapt driving laws to modern times, since we now have safer cars, better-designed roads, and drivers who, let’s be honest, were already going over 65 mph…

“Technology has changed. Vehicles are more stable, safer, and people are used to driving at those speeds” explained Santabarbara.

A mindset of road safety

Until now, the maximum limit on New York highways was 65 mph (about 104 km/h), but let’s be honest, most people were already driving faster. And in the end, that can be more dangerous than speeding itself.

When some drive at 65 and others at 75, traffic becomes more dangerous and risky, so this isn’t an invitation to speed, but rather to make traffic more consistent with reality.

“The goal is not to encourage speeding, but to adapt the law to how people actually drive today”.

Does faster mean less safe?

Not necessarily. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reminds us that speeding was the cause of more than a third of fatal accidents in 2023, but some studies suggest that when limits are adjusted to real speeds, accident rates can actually decrease.

The New York State Police will continue closely monitoring drivers, and fines for exceeding 70 mph will remain the same as before.

More measures

Many initiatives are already being carried out to strengthen safety in the state, especially now that complicated seasons like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are coming, when there are far more people on the roads (and therefore more accidents).

But New York isn’t the only state working on this. Florida has imposed higher fines, and in other states, you can’t modify your car’s lights without permission.

So each state is testing its own remedy, some stricter and others more adaptive, but the goal is the same: to have safe roads for all users.

For drivers

Once the law takes effect, highways and designated sections will have an official limit of 70 mph. That means you can’t go over 70 mph (and we already know some will drive at 80 mph claiming they “didn’t realize”…).

Keep in mind that each county may adjust limits based on local conditions, and paying attention to the road is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

New York catches up

With this change, New York joins more than 30 U.S. states that already allow driving at 70 mph or more on their highways, seeking efficiency and better regional connectivity.

Heads up

Raising the limit to 70 mph doesn’t mean you can drive as fast as you want. Caution behind the wheel, please, no one wants to arrive faster if they’re not going to arrive alive!!!

FAQ

What’s happening with New York’s speed limits?:  They are debating raising the top limit from 65 to 70 mph on select highways.
Why raise the limit? Higher limits could make traffic flow safer and smoother.
Is it approved yet? Not yet
What about other states? Many are doing the opposite (more aggressive penalties)