Q: It’s obvious that many drivers routinely exceed the speed limit in many areas, not just on freeways. So the next logical question is: How are speed limits determined? One would hope that there is some science, not just politics or customary historical norms, that inform the speed limit decision for a stretch of road.
A: Your hope is not unfounded. The law does set default speed limits for various kinds of roads, which I guess you could say is setting limits based on historical norms, and they’re set in state statute by elected officials, so you could call that politics, but there’s more to it than that.
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