According to the Arizona Revised Statute ARIZ § 28-701(A) & (D), also called the basic speed rule, a person shall not drive a vehicle at a speed greater than the reasonable and prudent speed, that may cause a potential hazard to others under the conditions.
Over speeding in Arizona
Anyone found over speeding in Arizona or breaking the law will have to face a number of consequences. A first time offender who exceeds the speed limit will have to face a fine of no more than $250 and their driver’s license will be suspended for no more than one year.
Driving recklessly in Arizona
Anyone found driving recklessly in Arizona will also have to face a number of consequences. A first time offender who drives recklessly will have to pay a fine of no more than $750. They may also be sentenced to no more than 120 days in jail and their driver’s license will be suspended for up to 90 days.
Exceeding a posted speed limit of 55 mph
Most Arizona highways have a posted maximum speed limit of 55 mph. If a driver exceeds this limit, but was driving at a speed less than 65 mph, they will be subject to a fine of no more than $15. The offender may also have to pay assessments which can be less than 60% of the fine imposed.
The offense of exceeding the posted speed limit is considered a civil traffic violation and is not to be used to establish motor vehicle insurance rates. If the driver exceeds the 55mph speed limit by more than 65 mph, then the regular sanctions for a speeding offense will apply, which are ARIZ § § 12-116.01, 12-116.02 and 28-702.01(A) & (C)
Statutory speed limits in Arizona
The following speed limits have been defined under Arizona law under the statute:
- 15 mph when approaching a school crossing
- 25 mph when in a business or residential district
- 65 mph on interstate highways outside of urban areas that have a population of more than 50,000
- 65 mph for vehicles that weigh more than 26,000 lbs. This excludes any vehicles that are designed to carry 16 or more people, including the driver
- 65 mph for vehicles that draw a pole trainer that weighs more than 6,000 lbs.
Possible defenses used in over speeding cases
A number of possible defenses can be used for over speeding in Arizona, the three most commonly used are:
- Attacking how the officer determined your speed. For this, you must discover the method the officer used to cite you and learn how you can attack that particular method.
- Claiming that you had to take care of an emergency to prevent harm or damage to yourself or to someone else which forced you to exceed the speed limit.
- Claiming that it was not you who was over speeding but the officer mistook you for another car. The officer may have made a mistake with so many similar looking cars driving on the road and picked you wrongly in the end.
Arizona Point system
A driver who accumulates more than 8 points on their license within 12 months may have to face the following:
- Have their driver’s license suspended for up to 1 year or
- May be required to attend a traffic education and training course
The following points are assessed for speeding and speed related violations in Arizona:
- 2 points for a violation of any provision of § 28-701
- 8 points for either reckless driving or racing on the highways
- 2 points for any other violation
Arizona speeding laws are defined under AAC § 17-4-506 (via ’28-202(A)) & § 28-3315(A).
If you have more questions regarding speeding laws in Arizona, call the law office of Brian D. Sloan at 480-900-0384 or 602-900-0384 for a Free Consultation.
