Can You Legally Go 10 MPH Over The Speed Limit In Illinois?
How fast can you actually go without getting a ticket in Illinois?
I've always thought it was kind of an unwritten rule of the road, especially on interstates and highways, that you can go up to 10 MPH over whatever the speed limit is before you're actually speeding and you need to slow the heck down or risk getting pulled over.
I get the speed limit is literally that. Honestly, unless it's a work zone, it's also the minimum you should be going, by the way. In Illinois though, you might want to reconsider that little 10 MPH "grace period".
Illinois's Speed Limit Laws
Illinois has steep penalties for traffic violations. According to isp.illinois.gov, we're talking misdemeanors depending on how much of a lead foot you were caught with.
Illinois-based law firm Andrew Nickel says that if you're pulled over for speeding anywhere from 1-20 MPH over the speed limit, you could get slapped with a $120 fine.
As you could guess, it only gets worse from there.
If you're caught speeding 21-30 MPH over the posted speed limit, your fine could be around $140.
And if you're just flat-out zooming, you're looking at a Class B misdemeanor for driving 26-34 MPH over the speed limit. That could be 6 months behind bars and up to $1,500 in fines.
If you're really just going for it and are driving at least 35 MPH over the speed limit, it's a Class A misdemeanor and can bring with it a year in prison and up to $2,500 in fines.
If you're caught speeding in a work zone, it can be an additional $375 fine and a court appearance.
So as you're road-tripping this summer, make sure you don't get a lead foot, but if you're going to drive slower than traffic flow, for the love of God, get in the right lane.