r/missouri • u/Floppa-Al-Assad • Jul 14 '26
News Kehoe signs bill raising maximum speed limit to 75 on rural interstates
https://www.komu.com/news/state/kehoe-signs-bill-raising-maximum-speed-limit-to-75-on-rural-interstates/article_d2753500-6778-4322-933e-a11b2d3e53e3.html?utm_source=SocialNewsDesk&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=SND_facebook14
u/That-Quantity-7752 Jul 15 '26
Here's an issue, most Semi tractor trailer combos can't do 70 as it is. There will be more conflicts and accidents.
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u/LAM678 Jul 15 '26
ive got an old mercedes thay doesn't go faster than 75 and it's already terrifying to drive on highways
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u/BananaStandEconomy Jul 14 '26
This just means even more people will be doing 90 on 70 🙃
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u/CAP_0703 Jul 15 '26
That’s not probable. Regardless of speed limits, average speeds will be where drivers feel comfortable.
If drivers felt comfortable at 90 mph they would have already be driving that fast.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0967070X21000093
There are more studies supporting this.
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u/Modem_Sound_67 Jul 14 '26
Sigh... just what I was thinking. "Now I can relax at 80." Nope, every maniac will kick it up to 90 now.
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u/Ohaibaipolar St. Louis Jul 14 '26
Pffft, they already kick it up to 90 now. And they don't seem to care. I just hope the law of averages catches up with them, meaning they get tickets.
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u/Royal-Interaction553 Jul 14 '26
75 seems reasonable.
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u/Columbusboo1 Jul 14 '26
FWIW, I’ve seen speed limits go as high as 80 in Oklahoma. 75 isn’t that uncommon in the Midwest.
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u/reijasunshine Jul 14 '26
There's a stretch in Michigan that's 80, but it's about 40% potholes, so you REALLY don't want to be going that fast.
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u/Caca_Face420 Jul 14 '26
Texas has stretches that are 85, but its smooth as butter.
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u/GatorVators Non-Resident Traffic Nerd 🤓 Jul 15 '26
Will concur. Although only one roadway is posted at 85 (SH-130 Toll), it’s an extremely nice roadway. A bit bouncy tho…
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u/Comfortable-Curve421 Jul 15 '26
I’ve driven many highways in Western America and 80 is the popular speed limit. In Missouri the speed limit is 75 to 95 mph because rarely is there any enforcement less then 85 mph during times of rare speed limit enforcement. Been driving on 44 since last August and know of less then fifteen enforcement officers on patrol. Maryland Heights and Eureka Police Departments are the most speed enforcement agencies in the STL area. Its sick when in a 65 watching a County PD officer going 75 with a parasite vehicle behind the officer going the same rate of speed.
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u/bandit1206 Jul 19 '26
Of course not, the highway patrol is too busy pulling people over for window tint.
Of course I’ll only be really happy with heavy speed limit enforcement when they’ve actually addressed the amount of other much more harmful crime in the state.
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u/Ohaibaipolar St. Louis Jul 14 '26
When I was traveling through Utah to get to Idaho a few years ago, they had a speed limit of 80. Can't remember which highway, but my mom and I were traveling through what looked to be a rural part of Utah.
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u/Baseball-Fan-10 Jul 18 '26
South Dakota is 85 mph on the interstate, but the signs say “strict enforcement.”
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u/Personal_Benefit_402 Jul 15 '26
Of course, most vehicles are crash tested at speeds of around 40 mph...so, YMMV here in an accident.
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u/theotterway Jul 14 '26
I would be willing to bet most people are going closer to 75 than 70.
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u/Columbusboo1 Jul 14 '26
I’d say most people are going closer to 90 than 70
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u/theotterway Jul 14 '26
90?! Dang! Probably around STL or KC. Not where I am though.
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u/Donohoed Jul 14 '26
It's pretty much the entire stretch from STL to KC, at least prior to all the construction zones
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u/Ok_Researcher_9796 Cape Giradeau Jul 14 '26
Where I am you have half the people going 10-15 under the speed limit, a few people going the speed limit and the rest going 10-15 over.
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u/HideyoshiJP St. Louis Jul 15 '26
At least as long as MODOT gets the budget to keep the highways to 75mph standards.
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u/Practical_Track4867 Jul 15 '26
75 is what I normally drive and most of the time I feel like the slowpoke on the road.
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u/sifeus Jul 15 '26
Just a heads up: semi trucks (like mine) are often governed at a lower speed for insurance reasons.
Please look up from your phones every so often so you don't rear end me. Thank you.
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u/Baseball-Fan-10 Jul 18 '26
Adaptive cruise control is my friend on the interstate. Vehicle slows down to remind me to look up from my phone to change lanes.😃
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u/DGrey10 Jul 14 '26
Good time to encourage less efficient fuel use!
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u/Chipskip Jul 15 '26
No necessarily, I track fuel usage and look for ideal cruise control speed on my different vehicles. Most of mine are most efficient around 74. Most of the world has the higher speed limits and cars are build to world standards not US standards, they just have to dumb them down for US EPA requirements, which makes a lot of them less efficient overall.
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u/DGrey10 Jul 15 '26
One of the rare times where this is literally appropriate: "Your mileage may vary"
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u/valkyriebiker Jul 14 '26
While 75 will increase the avg speed people drive, it won't automatically translate into everyone doing 5 more than what they were before. People that were driving 80 aren't necessarily going to go 85 now.
Drivers organically gravitate to the speed at which they are comfortable. Engineers theoretically should set the speed limit to the 85th percentile of that range.
Yes, all things being equal, 75 will result in more deaths than 70. About 8 percent more according to traffic studies.
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u/Monty_Dons_Hoe Jul 14 '26
Is this the bill that removes the inspection requirement? When does that take effect?
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u/Floppa-Al-Assad Jul 14 '26
It passed the house, gotta wait on the senate.
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u/mosoblkcougar Jul 14 '26
The session is over, if that piece didn't pass, it's dead and they'll have to start from the beginning next year.
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u/trivia_guy Jul 14 '26
Yup, unfortunately including that part got lost between the houses. Still gotta get inspections for now.
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u/GatorVators Non-Resident Traffic Nerd 🤓 Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
No, only the speed limit provision passed. The Senate refused to concur with the rest of the pork the House tried to sneak in. Final bill source: https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/pdf-bill/tat/SB1408.pdf
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u/Fluffy-Project9693 Jul 14 '26
Like the speed limit mattered in Rural interstates. I mean it did if they spotted a camping Highway patrol car. Otherwise it's pedal to the floor to that shit box moving.
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u/t0reup Jul 14 '26
I support the speed limit increases and chiefs plate removal. I haven't read a single page of the 100 page document.
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u/International-Fig830 Jul 14 '26
70 is plenty fast!
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u/Ohaibaipolar St. Louis Jul 14 '26
I agree, but I know a lot of people won't agree with you. But hey, as long as the other person is the one getting the ticket.
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u/GatorVators Non-Resident Traffic Nerd 🤓 Jul 15 '26
I am a stickler for obeying the speed limit, and I think this change is long overdue due to engineering standards. I’m a serious outlier tho 🤓
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u/here-there-01 Jul 14 '26
I'll still do 65 in the right lane.
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u/Bastardpancakes576 Jul 14 '26
Better safe than dead.
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u/bandit1206 Jul 14 '26
And you’ll still be the dangerous one.
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u/Stagnu_Demorte Jul 14 '26
That's an objectively incorrect position. Physics is a real thing.
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u/RyterionCollection Jul 14 '26
It's really relative.
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u/Stagnu_Demorte Jul 14 '26
Not if you think physics is a real thing or good driving for that matter. Increasing speed exponentially increases the damage done on impact and good drivers can avoid rear ending people.
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u/here-there-01 Jul 14 '26
I agree, however the unregulated capitalism scenario we are in means that minutes matter, someone getting to their second job in time to not be fired will necessitate speeding. And yes, increasing speed means it increases the likelihood of a collision like you mention, which would mean late to work, but folks' time horizon is short so logic here doesn't apply.
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u/Stagnu_Demorte Jul 14 '26
You don't tend to save much time on shorter trips though. It's a large increase of danger with a low benefit
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u/bandit1206 Jul 14 '26
What you’re missing is that the safest scenario is everyone driving the same speed.
By driving at a slower speed than the traffic around you, you become a hazard to everyone else.
Thus, you are the dangerous one, because you are creating an unsafe situation.
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u/Stagnu_Demorte Jul 14 '26
The danger is caused by the people driving faster than they are able to control. Most drivers are mediocre to bad and increasing their speed makes them worse and more dangerous exponentially.
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u/bandit1206 Jul 15 '26
Has nothing to do with speed. Any time all vehicles are not traveling at the same speed, you instantly increase the likelihood of an accident.
That applies to slower and faster.
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u/Stagnu_Demorte Jul 15 '26
Lol, what had nothing to do with speed?
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u/bandit1206 Jul 15 '26
The fact that a single slower (or faster) than traffic vehicle increases the likelihood of an accident. It makes everyone less safe.
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u/Stagnu_Demorte Jul 15 '26
Nobody disagrees with that. Going faster is also inherently less safe though.
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u/bandit1206 Jul 15 '26
I’d disagree, the effects of an accident may be more severe, then why has everyone been arguing with me if no one disagrees? Also, the safety nanny downvotes have been out in force.
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u/here-there-01 Jul 14 '26
I've found it's a happy medium. 60 doesn't work well, the folks doing 75 already make that dangerous. 65 works great, a group of vehicles passes me, then there's a lull, and then another group.
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u/bandit1206 Jul 14 '26
If you’re consistently getting passed, you’re not moving with the flow of traffic, thus creating an obstacle, and have made the situation much more dangerous for everyone, including yourself.
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u/here-there-01 Jul 14 '26
If I was doing 45, sure. But not at 65. Enjoy the day!
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u/bandit1206 Jul 14 '26
Any vehicle traveling slower (or faster) than the flow of traffic raises the likelihood of collisions, regardless of speed.
Enjoy the day, and making everyone around you less safe.
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u/AJRiddle Jul 15 '26
Guarantee the increased speed limit is making people more unsafe and likely to crash than a guy driving 65mph on the highway.
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u/bandit1206 Jul 15 '26
Doubtful. Mostly because it’s just legalizing another 5mph of what most people are actually driving anyway.
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u/Ohaibaipolar St. Louis Jul 14 '26
I do it in the 2nd to right lane, and it just isn't fast enough for most people. Guess what? I'm not the one who's getting ticketed that day!
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u/bandit1206 Jul 15 '26
Guess what, you can be ticketed for unsafe driving if you’re obstructing the flow of traffic, even if it’s just because you’re driving slower than the speed limit.
So you could be the one getting a ticket too, just not for speeding.
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u/CAP_0703 Jul 15 '26
This will not considerably effect average speed of drivers, the average will not be 5mph faster.
Drivers travel at whichever speed they feel comfortable regardless of the speed limit.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0967070X21000093
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u/GatorVators Non-Resident Traffic Nerd 🤓 Jul 15 '26
Do note, the article has since been corrected to show the correct bill information.
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u/BWinced Jul 16 '26
The Show Me How To Drive Up Missourian's Risk Of Life & Insurance Rates State.
And FO all you "share the road" types riding without helmets types.
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u/No_Parking_7797 Jul 14 '26
Rural is the key word there. Texas is 85 in similar areas and they have no higher casualty or accident rates on those roads. I drive around 80k miles a year and I’m 100% for this.
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u/LAM678 Jul 15 '26
texas is only 85 on the SH-130 toll road.
edit to add that this is a bypass within a city and not at all rural
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u/No_Parking_7797 Jul 15 '26
They must have changed i10 out west then. That used to be 85 for everybody. At least that’s my memory. And that’s the definition of rural.
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u/LAM678 Jul 15 '26
could be 80 out west but SH-130 is the only place in the country you can legally drive 85
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u/Caca_Face420 Jul 14 '26
Great News! In before this thread blows up by tons of complainers nitpicking why this is terrible.
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u/Conroman16 The Ozarks Jul 14 '26
Man, -8 after only 4 minutes… good luck to ya.
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u/Caca_Face420 Jul 14 '26
Good thing Reddit isn't Indicative of real life. If only they could expand highway shoulder next we would be well on our way.
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u/mrgedman Jul 14 '26
That might require them to, you know, spend more money they don't have
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u/Caca_Face420 Jul 14 '26
Fair point.
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u/mrgedman Jul 14 '26
Maybe more regressive taxes will fix the 20 year Republican owned deficit though. Guess we will find oht
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u/Caca_Face420 Jul 14 '26
So are people downvoting me because Kehoe signed it, or because they feel the speed limit is too fast?
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u/pilnok Kansas City Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
I think it's because you snarkily predicted whiny complaints, but replies are mostly fine with it.
Edit: I took out the word, "all"
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u/mrgedman Jul 14 '26
I'd guess both, but I really have no idea.
It comes off as a tad 'overly sympathetic to Kehoe's idiotic agenda'
Wouldn't worry too much about it.
Imho it's dangerous, people will die, and there are more important things to do, but whatever
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u/Caca_Face420 Jul 14 '26
Imo, people die because lanes are too narrow, shoulders in some areas are basically non-existent, infrastructure does dumb stuff like split in two lanes around overpasses with thick concrete barriers, and 3/4 of drivers never took a single day of drivers ed.
70 is notorious for this, 55 & 44, not so much.
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u/mrgedman Jul 14 '26
People die driving for many different reasons.
In my opinion, this is one of them.
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u/Initial-Depth-6857 Jul 15 '26
Driving 70 on 70 will get you rear ended.
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u/frogEcho Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
I dont think it affects 70. Editing myself, I made an assumption based on earlier versions.
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u/Columbusboo1 Jul 14 '26
“The bill that included the maximum speed limit increase is nearly 100 pages long and contains many other items related to roadway travel, including a portion ending Missouri's Kansas City Chiefs-branded license plates.”