One of the few places that a New Yorker can legally drive 65 miles per hour is on a controlled highway, and only then if the location where they are operating their vehicle is posted as having such a limit. In the state of New York, highways and interstates can have different speeds in different places and it is up to drivers to know and recognize when speed limits change.

For example, in a rural setting the speed limit on an interstate could be 65 miles per hour since the threat of traffic and other road hazards is relatively low. However, if a driver stays on that interstate as it passes through a congested metropolitan area that speed limit may decrease and a driver who is operating at 65 miles per hour could be doing so in violation of the law.

Some drivers may feel that it is safer to keep up with traffic than it is to drive the posted speed limit. In such a case, if everyone else on a highway is driving 75 miles per hour but the posted speed limit is 65 miles per hour, a driver may think it is better to stay with traffic than to be the slowest car on the road. The law does not agree, however, and a driver who is exceeding the speed limit, regardless of other traffic, may be ticketed for their speeding violations.

A speeding ticket is a negative mark against a person’s driving record and could affect the driver’s operating privileges. Those who have been negatively affected by changing highway or interstate speeds may wish to discuss their legal claims with traffic defense attorneys.