Arizona might soon see vehicles speeding along its rural interstates if a bill introduced by State Representative Nick Kupper gains traction. Kupper, who represents portions of Maricopa, Yuma, and La Paz Counties, has tabled HB2059, dubbed the Reasonable and Prudent Interstate Driving (RAPID) Act, which proposes increased speed limits during daylight hours for non-commercial vehicles on specific stretches of rural interstate, while maintaining strict consequences for reckless driving behaviors.
Under the RAPID Act, as announced by Representative Kupper, ADOT would take the helm in orchestrating eligibility for derestricted zones, relying on an arsenal of engineering studies and safety records, as well as meeting certain highway design benchmarks and at night the maximum speed limit wouldn't breach 80 miles per hour, existing road rules still demand drivers exercise a reasonable amount of prudence and the RAPID Act introduces heftier fines for those who don't play by these rules. Representative Kupper said, "Most drivers can tell the difference between a crowded city freeway and a wide-open stretch of rural interstate," and the act carves out distinctions between these driving environments.
The bill specifies a rigorous annual audit of safety metrics on derestricted segments and demands a liaison with the Department of Public Safety to ensure enforcement is squared away. Furthermore, it also calls for an educational campaign to verse drivers in the etiquette of these high-speed zones, like understanding the right way to use lanes and rules around overtaking. The RAPID Act's maiden voyage would be piloting a segment of Interstate 8 for a year. Citing Montana's once "reasonable and prudent" speed limits, Kupper posits, “Montana showed that you can modernize speed laws without sacrificing safety," suggesting that with transparent, conduct-centred guidelines, speed restrictions need not be excessively imposing when the highways in question are designed to safely accommodate higher velocities.
Advocates for the bill argue that it merely reflects a long-standing truth about the way many roadways in the state are used as Kupper asserts, "The RAPID Act accounts for that difference. It will let us raise speeds where it’s safe, keep tough penalties for reckless driving, and update our laws to reflect how people actually use these roads," he indicated the bill's alignment with practical usage against outdated limits that might not mirror current road dynamics. Representative Kupper also serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, and his legislative initiatives and commentary can be followed on social media via his handle @realnickkupper.
