What's the "real" over the speed limit in AZ? (Phoenix: 2015, school)

[aquatone]

Since moving to Northern Arizona and regularly driving the I17 to and from Phoenix or 260 and 89A, I am constantly passed by drivers driving way over the posted speed limit. I am not talking just 5-10mph over on the freeway. I am talking at least 90mph+ even in the dark, on sharp bends, in cold/ice conditions, and at times in the rain. Without wanting to stereotype, there also seems a correlation between excessive speed and giant pickups and SUV's. Most high-performance sports cars I see are usually lazily cruising along in the right lane.

Some states throw the book at you if you are caught driving in bad (or any) conditions excessively above the posted limits. Though I see the police occasionally next to a stopped vehicle on I17 there does not appear much deterrent. I can't help but wonder what the real speed limit is where the police actually take notice?

[popwar]

I agree with the trucks always on your tail speeding. I've seen people doing 85 and 90 and cops sit there. I am usually passing people while doing 80 or 85 going up hills , but people are still passing me too. I wanna get up the hill not do the speed liimit stuck behind someone also going the speed limit. My car is slow and I always have to shift down to 4th or 5th to get up hills.

[CCS414]

I just got curious and bang, right at the top of my very first search.
https://www.azfamily.com/traffic/new...d%20per%20mile.

[grmi66]

I had lunch yesterday with my brother who is in local law enforcement. He's told me in the past that you can pretty much do 7 MPH over with little to no fear of getting pulled over. Put your cruise control to 82 MPH on any rural highway and call it good.

Many agencies have implemented Covid policies to keep the police from interacting with the general public as much as possible. Which many officers have interpreted to mean stop doing traffic stops unless you appear to be drunk driving. My brother has joked that he doesn't care if you pass him doing 20 MPH over at 1 AM as long as you can do it driving a straight line.

Plus many agencies are extremely short staffed. Instead of doing proactive policing like passing out tickets, they are chasing burglary and assault calls their entire shift.

[Bondurant]

LE (local, county and DPS) in AZ seems more lax about speeding. I see a lot less cars pulled over than I do in other states I have lived and ticketed in. Speeding does seem more common here. Drive over the limit in most circumstances yet always far from the slowest on the road. As long as folks take it easy in residential areas I am fine with it. Also appreciate that there seems to be less emphasis on revenue generation which is the primary driver of traffic tickets.

[Valley Native]

It's baffling how many will move to Arizona for the weather, and then wonder why there is so much speeding. There is a definite connection between our so called "beautiful weather" and the way we drive. When the conditions are generally clear with good visibility, there is going to be faster driving. Contrast this to states where there is frequent rain, snow, ice, and fog, along with narrower roads ... most drivers will slow down in those conditions.

Speaking from experience, you can generally do 10 to 15 MPH over the limit on most highways without being pulled over. I know this because I tend to drive in this range when traffic & road conditions allow for it. I'm not an excessive speeder, but not a slowpoke by any means either. There is a traffic law in AZ that slower traffic must be in the right lane. Generally speaking, if you are one of those types who drive at or below the speed limit (or less than the other vehicles around you), then you are slower traffic!

[PhoenixSomeday]

I don't know, but it's more than 10-15 over. I've been here almost 8 years and have been by several apparent speed traps. Cops on the side of the road with their radar gun out and pointed toward the traffic. Several times doing almost 60 going up Price Rd between Ray and Elliot, and he didn't move. Several times on the 202 going about 80, with the same radar gun from a biker cop, and nothing. I have no idea what counts as the kind of speeding that gets you pulled over, here. In the south bay area we didn't go more than 5 over. But here it seems like a total free for all.

[grmi66]

Originally Posted by PhoenixSomeday

I don't know, but it's more than 10-15 over. I've been here almost 8 years and have been by several apparent speed traps. Cops on the side of the road with their radar gun out and pointed toward the traffic. Several times doing almost 60 going up Price Rd between Ray and Elliot, and he didn't move. Several times on the 202 going about 80, with the same radar gun from a biker cop, and nothing. I have no idea what counts as the kind of speeding that gets you pulled over, here. In the south bay area we didn't go more than 5 over. But here it seems like a total free for all.

If traffic is flowing at 10-12 MPH over the posted limit, nobody is getting pulled over. The cops are looking for the guy doing 15 MPH over and tailgating, cutting people off and driving aggressively.

[KurtAZ]

Having lived in AZ since I got my license...

If you are not doing 5 over, you are wrong...except in school zones. If you speed in a school zone you should RIGHTFULLY get pulled over.
You won't get pulled over doing 10 over if you aren't doing anything stupid (weaving, tailgating, etc.)
10-20 over on the highways...you are pushing it but as long as you aren't doing anything stupid...should be good.
20+...if there is an officer around you are getting stopped.

We used to have stringent enforcement about 10 years or so ago but I think with the rise in population and decrease of folks wanting to go into law enforcement, i.e. lower LEO/Citizen ratio...you have a lower chance/percentage of getting pulled over for a traffic violation.

[bobsell]

There is strict speed enforcement in certain areas:
* scameras - such as Scottsdale
* Small towns like Fountain Hills
* School Zones
* Crony Enrichment Corridors, err, Safety Corridors

Outside of that, speed enforcement is more lax.