Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Jon Dunn reportingWhat is it actually like to drive the speed limit on the freeway? Some college students in Georgia took to the roads and found out it can be dangerous. What about on Utah's freeways? We buckled up and hit the road.
Over the years we have just become accustomed to driving faster and faster. How about on I-15 through South Salt Lake?
Jeff Nigbur, Utah Highway Patrol: "That's an 80, right there. That guy right there on the cell phone. 79. That truck right there. 80 right there. This white truck right here's going to be fast, over 80-81. 96."
Reporter: "Which guy?"
Jeff Nigbur, Utah Highway Patrol: "That white car in the HOV lane."
So, maybe 96 is fast. Trooper Jeff Nigbur with the Utah Highway Patrol says he caught a guy going over 120 miles an hour on the west-side belt.
Jeff Nigbur, Utah Highway Patrol: "It's been generally accepted as practice to do 75-80 miles an hour and also tailgate and not use your signals. Different things like that. It's kind of general practice, but it's not o.k."
So, I went out in an unmarked UHP truck with Nigbur.
Jeff Nigbur: "That guy was just doing 70 miles an hour, out of his lane. Yeah, taking two lanes."
We drove the speed limit, 65, and obviously we made it out o.k. But, along with a UTA bus, we were by far the slowest on the highway.
Jeff Nigbur: "We're traveling at 65 miles an hour in the number four lane and we have not been run over by any means. We haven't even got close to being run over. When you get in high traffic areas, that may tend to happen a little bit more."
Nigbur says there are the two options.
Jeff Nigbur, Utah Highway Patrol: "Number one, speed. Sure you will go with the flow of traffic, but you risk a ticket. And, know the 'going with the flow of traffic' excuse won't work. You're going to get a ticket if you move too fast, and we're out there. More than likely you'll get a citation.
The second option is to drive the speed limit. Nigbur admits it's a slippery slope because if you do drive 65 and impede traffic you could be the one with the fine. Not to mention speeding drivers flying by.
Jeff Nigbur, Utah Highway Patrol: "You've got to bank on the fact that everybody's going to be going faster than 65. That's why there's an impeding traffic law.
