The US state of Arizona is considering removing speed limits entirely from some sections of interstate highways.
This proposal is proposed by state legislators Nick Kupperwhich aims to create “speed limit zones” on some rural highways across the state.
The bill, called the Reasonable and Prudent Interstate Driving (RAPID) Act, would eliminate mandatory daytime speed limits on rural highways with populations under 50,000.
At night, the speed limit will again be set at 80 mph (128 km/h), which is 5 mph (8 km/h) faster than the current Arizona speed limit. Commercial vehicles are limited to 80 mph all day.
Before the bill passes, lawmakers are proposing a pilot project. This scenario would designate a portion of Interstate 8 between Casa Grande and Yuma as a “speed limit zone” for one year to see what effect this would have on accident rates.
The cupper is Arizona Capitol Times“Of course the first reaction is, ‘This is crazy – it’s going to kill people,’ but the data shows the opposite. I want this pilot program to prove that we can actually do this and save lives,” he said.
Under the new law, major sections of Interstates 10, 17, 19, and 40, as well as a section of I-15 through northwest Arizona, would also be designated as “speed limit zones.”
The bill is expected to be introduced in Arizona’s 2026 legislative session, and if passed, Arizona would become the only U.S. state without speed limits on some sections of road.
Photo: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
