Speed Limits
Transp. Code 545.352 — 30 in town, 70 on numbered highways, and reasonable always
Every Texas driver has to keep to a speed that is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and the hazards that exist, and control speed as necessary to avoid a collision. The code calls for an appropriately reduced speed approaching and crossing an intersection or railroad crossing, going around a curve, approaching a hill crest, on a narrow or winding road, and where there is a special hazard from traffic, pedestrians, weather or road conditions.
| Where | The lawful speed, unless a special hazard requires slower |
|---|---|
| WhereAn urban district, on a street other than an alley | The lawful speed, unless a special hazard requires slower30 miles per hour |
| WhereAn alley in an urban district | The lawful speed, unless a special hazard requires slower15 miles per hour |
| WhereA state or U.S. numbered highway outside an urban district, including farm to market roads | The lawful speed, unless a special hazard requires slower70 miles per hour |
| WhereOther highways outside an urban district | The lawful speed, unless a special hazard requires slower60 miles per hour |
| WhereA beach | The lawful speed, unless a special hazard requires slower15 miles per hour |
Going over the limit is prima facie evidence, not the whole question. A speed over these limits, or over a limit set under the rest of the subchapter, is prima facie evidence that the speed is not reasonable and prudent and is unlawful. The reasonable and prudent rule applies at any speed, including under the posted limit when conditions call for less.
An urban district is territory along a highway built up with business, industry or homes spaced less than 100 feet apart for at least a quarter mile. A limit set or altered under the subchapter is the same by day and by night. Limits set by the transportation commission and local authorities, and school bus limits, are in other sections not set out here.
Sources for this section (2)
- Transp. Code 545.352 — Prima facie speed limits
- Transp. Code 545.351 — Maximum speed requirement
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Texas attorney.