49-654. BASIC RULE AND MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS. (1) No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. Consistent with the foregoing, every person shall drive at a safe and appropriate speed when approaching and crossing an intersection or railroad grade crossing, when approaching and going around a curve, when approaching a hillcrest, when traveling upon any narrow or winding highway, and when special hazards exist with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions.
(2) (a) Where no special hazard or condition exists that requires lower speed for compliance with subsection (1) of this section, the limits as hereinafter authorized shall be maximum lawful speeds, and no person shall drive a vehicle at a speed in excess of the maximum limits:
(i) Thirty-five (35) miles per hour in any residential, business or urban district, unless otherwise posted in accordance with section 49-207(2) or (3), Idaho Code;
(ii) Seventy-five (75) miles per hour on interstate highways, unless otherwise posted in accordance with section 49-201(4), Idaho Code, and provided that this speed may be increased to eighty (80) miles per hour if the department completes an engineering and traffic study on the interstate highway and concludes that the increase is in the public interest and the transportation board concurs with such conclusion;
(iii) Sixty-five (65) miles per hour on state highways, unless otherwise posted in accordance with section 49-201(4), Idaho Code, and provided that this speed may be increased to seventy (70) miles per hour if the department completes an engineering and traffic study on the state highway and concludes that the increase is in the public interest and the transportation board concurs with such conclusion;
(iv) Fifty-five (55) miles per hour in other locations, unless otherwise posted, up to a maximum of seventy (70) miles per hour.
(b) Subject to all other applicable motor vehicles laws, a driver of a passenger car, motorcycle or pickup truck, not towing any other vehicle, may exceed the posted speed limit by up to fifteen (15) miles per hour while passing another vehicle traveling at less than the posted speed limit, in order to safely pass the vehicle. The overtaking vehicle shall return to the right-hand lane and reduce speed to the posted speed limit as soon as practicable. This paragraph shall be applicable only to passing on the left upon roadways divided into two (2) lanes providing only one (1) lane of traffic in each direction and where the posted speed limit is fifty-five (55) miles per hour or greater. This paragraph shall not be applicable in construction zones. For purposes of basic rule violations and penalties imposed pursuant to this section and Idaho infraction rule 9, the fifteen (15) mile per hour allowance in passing situations provided in this paragraph shall be deemed to be the maximum speed limit from which fines are determined.
(3) For vehicles with five (5) or more axles operating at a gross weight of more than twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds the maximum lawful speed limit on interstate highways in nonurban areas shall not exceed ten (10) miles per hour less for vehicles with less than five (5) axles and operating at a gross weight of twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds or less, and in urban areas the maximum lawful speed limit on interstate highways for such vehicles shall not exceed sixty-five (65) miles per hour.
History:
[49-654, added 1988, ch. 265, sec. 179, p. 668; am. 1989, ch. 89, sec. 1, p. 210; am. 1991, ch. 100, sec. 3, p. 223; am. 1996, ch. 270, sec. 4, p. 878; am. 1997, ch. 155, sec. 6, p. 450; am. 1997, ch. 377, sec. 1, p. 1207; am. 1998, ch. 158, sec. 1, p. 534; am. 2012, ch. 325, sec. 6, p. 905; am. 2014, ch. 126, sec. 1, p. 357; am. 2015, ch. 24, sec. 1, p. 29; am. 2017, ch. 83, sec. 1, p. 227.]
Structure Idaho Code
Section 49-602 - UNATTENDED MOTOR VEHICLE.
Section 49-603 - STARTING PARKED VEHICLE.
Section 49-604 - LIMITATIONS ON BACKING.
Section 49-605 - DRIVING UPON SIDEWALK.
Section 49-606 - COASTING PROHIBITED.
Section 49-607 - OPENING AND CLOSING VEHICLE DOORS.
Section 49-608 - RIDING IN MANUFACTURED HOMES OR COMMERCIAL COACHES.
Section 49-609 - PERSONS RIDING ANIMALS OR DRIVING ANIMAL-DRAWN VEHICLES.
Section 49-612 - OBSTRUCTION TO DRIVER’S VIEW OR DRIVING MECHANISM.
Section 49-613 - PUTTING GLASS OR OTHER INJURIOUS MATERIALS ON HIGHWAY PROHIBITED.
Section 49-614 - STOP WHEN TRAFFIC OBSTRUCTED.
Section 49-615 - DRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CARE.
Section 49-616 - DRIVING THROUGH SAFETY ZONE PROHIBITED.
Section 49-623 - AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY OR POLICE VEHICLES.
Section 49-624 - DRIVER DUTY UPON APPROACHING A STATIONARY VEHICLE DISPLAYING FLASHING LIGHTS.
Section 49-625 - OPERATION OF VEHICLES ON APPROACH OF AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY OR POLICE VEHICLES.
Section 49-626 - FOLLOWING FIRE APPARATUS PROHIBITED.
Section 49-627 - CROSSING FIRE HOSE.
Section 49-630 - DRIVE ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY — EXCEPTIONS.
Section 49-631 - PASSING VEHICLES PROCEEDING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.
Section 49-632 - OVERTAKING A VEHICLE ON THE LEFT.
Section 49-633 - WHEN PASSING ON THE RIGHT IS PERMITTED.
Section 49-634 - LIMITATIONS ON OVERTAKING ON THE LEFT.
Section 49-635 - FURTHER LIMITATIONS ON DRIVING ON LEFT OF CENTER OF HIGHWAY.
Section 49-636 - ONE-WAY HIGHWAYS.
Section 49-637 - DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS LANED FOR TRAFFIC.
Section 49-638 - FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY.
Section 49-639 - TURNING OUT OF SLOW MOVING VEHICLES.
Section 49-640 - VEHICLES APPROACHING OR ENTERING UNMARKED OR UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION.
Section 49-641 - VEHICLE TURNING LEFT.
Section 49-642 - VEHICLE ENTERING HIGHWAY.
Section 49-643 - HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE.
Section 49-644 - REQUIRED POSITION AND METHOD OF TURNING.
Section 49-645 - LIMITATIONS ON TURNING AROUND.
Section 49-648 - OBEDIENCE TO SIGNAL INDICATING APPROACH OF TRAIN OR OTHER ON-TRACK EQUIPMENT.
Section 49-649 - COMPLIANCE WITH STOPPING REQUIREMENT AT ALL RAILROAD GRADE CROSSINGS.
Section 49-650 - MOVING HEAVY EQUIPMENT AT RAILROAD GRADE CROSSINGS.
Section 49-651 - EMERGING FROM ALLEY, DRIVEWAY OR BUILDING.
Section 49-652 - SCHOOL SAFETY PATROLS — FAILURE TO OBEY UNLAWFUL.
Section 49-654 - BASIC RULE AND MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS.
Section 49-655 - MINIMUM SPEED REGULATION.
Section 49-656 - SPECIAL SPEED LIMITATIONS.
Section 49-657 - WORK ZONE SPEED LIMITS — PENALTY.
Section 49-658 - SCHOOL ZONE SPEED LIMIT — PENALTY.
Section 49-659 - STOPPING, STANDING OR PARKING OUTSIDE BUSINESS OR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
Section 49-660 - STOPPING, STANDING OR PARKING PROHIBITED IN SPECIFIED PLACES.
Section 49-661 - ADDITIONAL PARKING REGULATIONS.
Section 49-662 - OFFICERS AUTHORIZED TO REMOVE VEHICLES.
Section 49-663 - RESTRICTED USE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON HIGHWAYS.
Section 49-665 - RIDING ON MOTORCYCLES.
Section 49-666 - MOTORCYCLE, MOTORBIKE, UTV AND ATV SAFETY HELMETS — REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS.
Section 49-669 - SNOWMOBILE OPERATION LIMITED.
Section 49-672 - PASSENGER SAFETY FOR CHILDREN.
Section 49-673 - SAFETY RESTRAINT USE.
Section 49-674 - HARVEST SEASON.