What is the highest speed limit in the world?
Technically speaking the fastest speed limit in the world is no speed limit. While Germany has been introducing speed limits across many of its highways, which are known as the autobahn, Germany still has thousands of kilometres of roads where you can drive as fast as you like.
In terms of the highest posted speed limit, that title belongs to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which has sections of motorway where you can drive to 160km/h (100mph).
What is the purpose of speed limits?
Governments around the world implement speed limits in order to keep the roads as safe as possible for all road users. And by all ‘road users’ we mean not only motorists but also cyclists and pedestrians, which is why there are different speed limits in urban areas compared to highways, and in recent years specific speed limits near schools in many countries.
Do all countries have speed limits?
Yes and no. Every country in the world has some form of speed limit, with one minor exception - the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man speed limit is officially non-existent. However, this small self-governing island posts guidance limits in built-up areas, to ensure public safety. Out on the island’s open highways, however, a road with no speed limit stretches out before you and drivers are free to go as quickly as is safe - with police still enforcing dangerous driving laws.
How have speed limits evolved over time?
According to a report from History.com speed limits actually pre-date the automobile, with the colony of New Amsterdam (now known as New York) issuing a decree in 1652 that “[N]o wagons, carts or sleighs shall be run, rode or driven at a gallop” of the rider will be fined.
The police were just as serious about enforcing the law back then too, with then-President Ulysses S. Grant arrested for driving his horse-drawn carriage too fast in Washington in 1872.
As for speed limits specific to cars, the United Kingdom led the way in this regard, introducing a speed limit of 10mph (16km/h) on open roads and 2.0mph (3.0km/h) in towns in 1861.
In Australia the speed limits were gradually introduced around the country in the first half of the 20th century. Notably, when Australia switched from imperial to metric speed limits were changed in 1974 and were rounded to the nearest 10km/h increment. So, 60mph became 100km/h and the freeway limit of 70mph became 110km/h - the limits we still have today.
Check out our story on the highest speed limit in Australia.
Why do maximum speed limits differ in different countries?
There are a variety of reasons, from political, social to the purely practical. For example, a poorly constructed highway with no speed limit is obviously more dangerous than a carefully built and maintained one. While the German autobahns are not radically different from our highways in Australia, they typically have some form of fence or border on the median to reduce the risk of head-on crashes.
Geography plays a major role in determining speed limits. For example, the Isle of Man doesn’t have an extensive motorway network, rather open roads across its largely agricultural land, whereas Abu Dhabi has a much bigger and very modern motorway network, so it is able to have a higher posted limit as the roads are straighter and smoother and therefore more conducive to faster driving.
How can you find out the speed limit where you are driving?
Most countries have roadside signs that display the limit, although they can differ significantly from one country to another. So if you are planning on traveling it’s worthwhile searching for images of what signs you should be looking out for.
In Australia we use white signs featuring black numbers in a red circle, which were actually inspired by the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals held in 1968.
What happens if there is no speed limit sign?
If there is no sign then you should drive to what’s known as the ‘default limit’ in that country. Typically there is an urban limit and open road limit, so it pays to know what those are in whatever country you are driving.
Typically the key differentiator between what is considered an ‘urban’ road is the presence of street lights and buildings, whether residential or commercial.
In Australia those default limits are 50km/h in urban settings and 100km/h on open roads.
What are the highest speed limits on roads around the world?
1. Germany: Unrestricted
As mentioned above, despite some political pressure (surprisingly on environmental grounds as much as safety) Germany’s autobahns remain famously speed limit free for large stretches. This is possibly due to more thorough driver training and testing in Germany than most other nations and a strict adherence to the correct lane; driving too slow in the fast lane will get you flashed repeatedly until you move out of the way.
2. United Arab Emirates: 160km/h
With a relatively modern and well-maintained motorway network there are sections of road in the capital, Abu Dhabi, with a posted speed limit of 160km/h. Perhaps more interestingly, on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Road there is actually a minimum speed limit, with drivers required to drive at least 120km/h or face a fine.
3. Poland, Bulgaria and Saudi Arabia: 140km/h
These three very different countries all have an upper highway speed limit of 140km/h.
In Poland, the standard, two-lane highway speed limit is 120km/h, but it is raised on its toll motorways.
Bulgaria has a similar system, with the majority of its highways limited to 120km/h, but drivers are allowed to go quicker on newer sections of motorway.
While in Saudi Arabia the previous speed limit of 120km/h on its major routes was raised to the new higher speed in 2018, although trucks remain limited to 80km/h.
4. USA (Texas): 137km/h
The United States of America is a little disjointed when it comes to speed limits as each state sets their own, rather than there being a national standard. The most common speed limits are 70mph (113km/h) or 75mph (121km/h) but they can also get to 80mph (129km/h) in several states.
However, the highest speed limit in the USA belongs to Texas State Highway 130, a toll road outside of Austin that has a posted speed limit of 85mph (137km/h).
5. Italy, France, Australia and more: 130km/h
There is a misconception that when it comes to the Stuart Highway no speed limit applies, but the truth is the Northern Territory trialled that and designed to limit it to 130km/h for lengthy stretches. This was done to make travel faster across what is a sparsely populated desert landscape.
However, 130km/h is a common speed limit on highways and motorways around much of Europe, including Italy, France (except when raining), Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Russia and Ukraine.