Legally, How Many MPH Can I Go Above the Speed Limit in Texas?

I’ve driven through a lot of places in these United States, and I can honestly say that the state of Texas probably has some of the fastest drivers around. I'd be lying if I said I'm not a total speed demon myself sometimes. Is it such a crime to want to get where I'm going sooner? Okay, maybe it is, but how far can I press my luck when it comes to the speed limit?

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CAN I GO ABOVE THE SPEED LIMIT HERE IN TEXAS?

Growing up, a lot of us heard people say you can go up to about 5 mph over the speed limit here in Texas before getting busted. Well, it turns out that's not really true.

According to Stephens Law, it doesn’t matter what you’ve heard about the great state of Texas - you will never find yourself being able to legally exceed any speed limit on any Texas road.

Not only do you risk being stopped by an officer and receiving a ticket, but every time you do it, even 1 mph over the speed limit could result in hundreds of dollars in fines assessed against you. I don’t care how stupid you think the law is here, you don’t want to find yourself paying fines that could possibly set you back financially or even land you in jail if you're stubborn about it.

Keep in mind that if you feed your need for speed here in Texas, you will be held accountable if a police officer decides to stop you. The 5 mph myth probably stems from misunderstandings of police radar calibration, and just plain folklore that keeps getting passed along. You may have gotten lucky a few times while passing or driving near an officer who didn't pop you, but that doesn't mean you were driving just fine.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY WALLET?

The more you speed, the more your wallet will bleed.

That's according to Forbes, which has a handy list of how much you can expect to pay in fines depending on how fast you're going. The lowest fines can start near the $200+ range, and only increase depending not only on how fast you're going, but where you're driving. If you're caught speeding in a school zone? Oof! You better believe the fine will go way up. Same with construction zones.

MIND YOUR SPEED AND WATCH FOR TRAPS

If you've ever taken a road trip through Texas, you know that a speed limit can suddenly drop from 75 to 30 or so when you enter a small town. If you're not paying attention, you can find yourself speeding without realizing it, and that's what some small town police are counting on if you ask me. I think some communities could do a better job of warning you when the speed limit is about to decrease significantly, but I wouldn't count on it. Stay focused, and don't push your luck.