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.

Andrew Flusche

My name is Andrew Flusche. I am a traffic and misdemeanor defense lawyer in Virginia. I limit my practice to traffic tickets and misdemeanor defense, so I know the ins and outs of these offenses. I literally wrote the book on reckless driving in Virginia which you can get on Amazon here or download for free here. I opened my practice in 2008 after earning my Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Since then, I have earned over 600 5-star reviews from happy clients on Google, Yelp, and Facebook. If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor offense in Virginia, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Your initial consultation is always free, and you'll talk directly with me about the details of your case.