Is It Legal To Drive Up To 10 MPH Over the Limit In New York State?

I'm not one to speed while driving. Well, at least most of the time. First, I don't trust myself to properly handle a vehicle at too high a speed, even after decades of driving, but more importantly, I don't need to get somewhere fast and I prefer to save money on gasoline.

I have heard people say unofficially that going 10 to 12 miles over the speed limit in New York State most likely won't result in a motorist getting pulled over. I have driven past patrol cars a couple of times going about 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit but was never pulled over.

But I sure could have been pulled over and given a hefty speeding ticket. Normally if I am driving just a bit over the speed limit, I am in a pack of other motorists doing the same, and I'm not the leader.

To be clear, I do not endorse speeding on our roadways and urge you not to speed. Just the same, I've observed many who fly past me even when I have been going over the speed limit like I'm standing still. I think that's just dangerous and reckless. But it will continue to happen just the same.

So, to get to the question of whether it is legal to speed up to 10 miles per hour over the posted limit in New York State...

The answer is a resounding 'NO.'

The New York Safety Council puts it this way:

Regardless of speed limit, no person may drive a vehicle on a highway at a greater speed than is reasonable under the conditions and existing hazards.You must obey the posted speed limit or, if no limit is posted, drive no faster than 55 mph. Be aware, however, that some cities in New York have speed limits lower than 55 mph that may not be posted.

Once you go one mile over the posted speed limit, you are in violation and could get ticketed. The New York Safety Council notes that speeding is a factor in nearly 30% of all fatal crashes annually in the Empire State.

On the opposite side of this question, some New York State expressways have a posted minimum speed limit of 45 miles per hour. And be aware, even while keeping at the legal limit, in some cases during icy, snowy, or foggy conditions, for example, you should slow down. Otherwise, it's possible you could be pulled over for driving at a speed "not reasonable and prudent" for existing conditions according to the New York Safety Council.