The driver’s license: It’s a rite of passage for new drivers.
For many of them it’s a ticket to freedom. Obtaining a license potentially
means that of depending on guardians, an older sibling or friend to provide transportation
to a destination are a thing of the past.
Before that license can be obtained, new drivers must go
through training and testing to understand the rules of the road.
Unfortunately,
upon completion of those requirements, some drivers do not go back and reread the
Kansas Driver’s Handbook. Important information and rules of the road may have
been forgotten, which can have an impact on traffic behaviors.
For the next several weeks we will take a quick look at some
of the misconceptions about driving. Feel free to read this blog as a reminder
to yourself and share it with your loved ones.
Today’s #Back2Basics blog is about the speed limit in
Kansas.
Common Misconception
#1: “I can go 5-10 miles over the
speed limit and I won’t get pulled over.”
Fact: According
to both the Kansas Driver’s Handbook and the Kansas Highway Patrol, there is no
buffer speed limit. Drivers should not exceed the posted speed limit. However,
there are times when going below the speed limit may be necessary, especially
during inclement weather.
“Kansas’ basic speed
law requires that you never drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is
reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing,” The Kansas Driving
Handbook says, “Consider road, weather and your vehicle condition, as well as
your own physical condition. What might be a reasonable speed at one time may
not be reasonable at another time because of differing conditions. Adjust your
driving to road, traffic and weather conditions.”
Speed Limits can vary
depending on where you are.
Have you ever found yourself traveling in an unfamiliar part
of the state, and you just aren’t sure what the speed limit is? Where no
special hazards exist, the law sets maximum speeds for normal driving
conditions. Unless otherwise posted the maximum speeds are:
- In Towns or Cities: Thirty (30) miles per hour in any urban district
- On Roads and Highways Outside of Towns: Seventy-five (75) miles per hour on any separated, multi-lane highway as designated and posted by the Secretary of Transportation
- Sixty-five (65) miles per hour on any State or Federal Highway
- Fifty-five (55) miles per hour on any County or Township road
- Unless otherwise posted – Maximum speed limits 20 mph -School Zone (when properly marked) -Business District (when properly marked)
Common Misconception
#2: I can go as slow as I want as long as I don’t exceed the speed limit.
Fact: Slower drivers must go the speed limit too and there is such a thing as going too slow. According to the handbook, minimum
speed limits also exist on some roadways. Going too slow can impede traffic and
it can lead to traffic incidents. Where these minimum speed limits are posted, any speed
below that is considered unlawful under normal weather, road and traffic
conditions.
“Even when a minimum speed is not posted, it is unlawful to
drive a vehicle so slowly as to impede or block the normal movement of
traffic,” the Kansas Driver’s Handbook says. “The exception is when it is
necessary for safe operation in compliance with the basic speed law.”
So, the next time you are behind the wheel, remember unless
conditions call for slower driving, the posted speed limit is the speed you
should be going. Remember to slow down in Work Zones and give highway workers
plenty of room.
Check back next week when we discuss passing misconceptions
in Kansas.
For more information, you can read the Kansas Driver’s
Handbook here:
https://www.ksrevenue.org/pdf/dlhb.pdf
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