The claim: A new North Carolina law says you cannot go 5 miles per hour over the speed limit
In a majority of states, it is illegal to exceed the speed limit – regardless of whether it is safe for drivers to increase their speed. However, a widely shared Facebook post suggests that rule is new to North Carolina drivers. The post, which accrued more than 4,000 shares in one day, claims a law was passed April 10 to codify speed restrictions in North Carolina.
“Just passed into law today: You can not go 5 miles over speed limit in NC. You can be stopped for 1 mile over posted speed limit!!,” reads the April 11 post. But no such law was enacted. In fact, the law the post referenced has been on the books since 1979. North Carolina did not recently update its speeding law, Christopher Knox, a public information officer for North Carolina’s Department of Public Safety, told USA TODAY. “I can confirm that there has NOT been a change to North Carolina law with regards to speeding statutes nor has there been any changes to our agency’s enforcement of these laws,” Knox said in an email. “The North Carolina State Highway Patrol issues citations or makes arrests only for definite, clear-cut and substantial violations of the law.”
