Starting today, you'll be able to move through South Dakota much faster than you could before.

Today is the day the state raises its speed limit from 75 to 80 mph on interstate highways. This is not an April Fools joke.

You wanna know who else isn't joking around? The South Dakota Highway Patrol.

South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Craig Price said the plan is to strictly enforce the 80 mph limit across the state.

In the past when the speed limit was 75 mph, the typical thinking was, I can drive 80 mph and they probably won't pull me over. Don't count on that little cushion any longer.

According to Price, his officers will handle every case on an individual basis. However, he said every driver going over 80 mph does face receiving a ticket. The price for a ticket for going 1 mph to 5 mph over the limit is $85. Yikes! Getting one of those tickets is a good way to ruin your day.

The state has just two interstates that the new law will affect, Interstate 29 running north and south between the North Dakota and Iowa border and Interstate 90 running east and west from the Minnesota border to the Wyoming line.

Remember that the speed limit will remain 65 mph around Sioux Falls on I-229 and 70 mph on other four-lane divided highways in South Dakota.

There will also be no speed limit change on rural two-lane divided highways in the state.

You're gonna want to make sure to be careful not to have a lead-foot as you transition into neighboring South Dakota states.

In surrounding states, the speed limit is 70 mph on rural interstates in Minnesota and Iowa. 75 mph in North Dakota.

The speed limit increase is part of a transportation bill passed last month and signed by Governor Dennis Daugaard. The bill also raises the gas tax and vehicle registration fees in the state.

Source: Dickinson Press

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