Oregon Speed Limits, Laws, and Penalties
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The following is an overview of the laws, restrictions, and penalties associated with traffic violations in Oregon.
Speed limits in Oregon
Oregon has one of the highest top speed limits in the United States, and in 2014 the limit was raised to 80 mph on rural interstates and highways.
70 mph: rural highways and interstates
65 mph: The maximum speed for trucks, where the speed limit is 70 mph.
65 mph: some rural two-lane highways
55 mph: most other highways
25 mph: public parks
25 mph: Residential areas outside cities and urban boundaries with populations over 100,000.
25 miles per hour: along the ocean
20 mph: school zones during set hours
20 mph: business districts
15 mph: lanes
Oregon Reasonable and Reasonable Speed Code
The law of maximum speed:
According to Oregon Motor Vehicle Code Section 811.100(1), “a person commits an offense if he drives a vehicle at a speed that is more than reasonable and prudent, with due regard to all of the following: traffic; road surface and width; danger at intersections; weather; visibility; and other conditions that existed then.
Minimum speed law:
Sections 811.130(1) and 811.315(1) state:
"No one should obstruct the normal and reasonable movement of traffic."
"A person traveling at a slower speed than normal should drive in the right lane available for traffic, or as close as possible to the right curb or edge of the carriageway."
Due to differences in speedometer calibration, tire size, and inaccuracies in speed detection technology, it is rare for an officer to stop a driver for speeding less than five miles. However, technically, any excess can be considered a speed violation, so it is recommended not to go beyond the established limits.
Oregon has a combination of absolute and seemingly speed laws. This means that in some cases the driver may claim that he was driving safely, even if he exceeded the limit. Alternatively, the driver may go to court and plead not guilty on the basis of one of the following:
The driver may object to the determination of the speed. To qualify for this protection, the driver must know how his or her speed was determined and then learn to disprove its accuracy.
The driver may claim that, due to an emergency, the driver violated the speed limit to prevent injury or damage to himself or others.
The driver may report a case of misidentification. If a police officer records a driver speeding and subsequently has to find him again in a traffic jam, he may have made a mistake and stopped the wrong car.
Speeding ticket in Oregon
First-time offenders may:
Be fined up to $75 or up to $600 depending on the class of violation.
Suspend your driver's license for up to 30 days as part of a driver development program.
Reckless driving ticket in Oregon
Exceeding the speed limit by 30 mph is automatically considered reckless driving.
First-time offenders may:
Be fined up to $5,000
Be sentenced to imprisonment for up to one year
Suspend the license for up to 90 days.
Offenders may be required to participate in a driver development program.
