PHOENIX — If a state lawmaker has his way, road trips throughout Arizona could become significantly quicker.
State Representative Nick Kupper, a Republican representing parts of Maricopa, Yuma, and La Paz counties, has put forth House Bill 2059, known as the Reasonable and Prudent Interstate Driving (RAPID) Act, which aims to raise or eliminate speed limits on specific rural interstates.
As stated in the lawmaker’s press release, if the bill is passed, the Arizona Department of Transportation would be responsible for establishing “derestricted speed zones” during daylight hours on those highways.
The pilot program is set to commence on a segment of Interstate 8, as outlined in the bill’s draft.
Current state legislation, which requires drivers to operate at “reasonable and prudent” speeds, will remain in effect, and the bill proposes to increase civil penalties for violations. Speed limits during nighttime would be capped at 80 miles per hour on those freeway sections.
“Most drivers can distinguish between a congested city freeway and an open stretch of rural interstate,” Rep. Kupper stated in a news release. “The RAPID Act recognizes that distinction. It will allow us to increase speeds where it is safe, maintain strict penalties for reckless driving, and update our laws to better reflect how people actually utilize these roads.”
The Republican noted that this legislation would resemble Montana’s “reasonable and prudent” system, where average speeds increased while accidents and fatalities on the road decreased, and would align closely with practices in other states.
“Montana demonstrated that it is possible to modernize speed regulations without compromising safety,” Rep. Kupper remarked. “When regulations are clear and focused on driver behavior, states can allow safe highways to function as they were intended. Arizona should learn from these experiences rather than adhering to limits that do not align with reality.