Before You Hit the Gas: Risks of Speeding 30+ MPH Over the Limit

You’re running late to work, and it seems like everyone else is too, because the flow of traffic has you driving much faster than the speed limit. Or maybe you’re driving late at night on an empty stretch of Maryland highway, and you have the opportunity to make your drive a little bit shorter by stepping on the gas. But starting October 2025, in Maryland, driving 30 MPH or more over the speed limit isn’t ticket territory—it puts you at risk of going to jail.

If you’re caught driving this fast in Maryland, you’re no longer just dealing with a routine ticket. You’ll face higher financial penalties and the potential of jail time. If you’re facing charges for speeding, call Drew Cochran, Attorney At Law to discuss your next steps with a speeding violations lawyer.

The legal risks

For many years, Maryland treated speeding as a civil infraction. In most cases, even if you were driving much faster than the speed limit, you’d have to pay a fine and deal with points on your license. That changed in 2025 with the passage of the Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act.

This law, passed in honor of Sergeant Patrick Kepp after he lost his legs when he was hit by a speeding driver, makes driving more than 30 MPH above the speed limit a crime. Driving this fast is automatically considered reckless driving, a misdemeanor.

What does this mean for you? If charged, you can’t just pay your ticket and move on. You have to go to court, pay even higher fines, grapple with the possibility of jail time, and get six points on your driver’s license.

Safety risks

Of course, there are worse things that can happen than criminal charges. Staying safe isn’t just about following the law—it’s about taking steps to protect yourself and others. No matter how good a driver you are, you cannot beat the laws of physics. And when you’re driving 30 MPH or more over the speed limit, you are dramatically increasing the likelihood of being involved in a collision.

Consider the differences between 55 MPH and 85 MPH. When you’re traveling 55 MPH, you travel over 80 feet per second, and it takes about 265 feet to come to a complete stop. At 85 MPH, you travel more than 120 feet in a single second. At that speed, it takes well over 500 feet to come to a complete stop. Think about all the ways you can get distracted for a single second—checking your GPS, looking at a highway sign, or turning to grab your child’s fallen toy could mean traveling over 100 feet without looking.

Not only does speeding make crashing more likely, but it also significantly increases the severity of crashes that do happen. The faster vehicles are traveling at the time of a crash, the greater the impact of the crash. This means more extensive property damage, more severe injuries, and a greater likelihood of fatalities.

Speeding was a factor in 29% of all fatal crashes in 2023, and this number remains roughly the same year after year. Even the most experienced driver is putting themselves and others in unnecessary danger by speeding.

Career and life risks

Beyond fines, jail, and the potential for serious or fatal injuries, speeding can also have a ripple effect on every other part of your life. First, think about your insurance premiums. They’re already high in most parts of the country, but if you’re criminally charged for driving more than 30 MPH over the limit, you can expect them to skyrocket—and that’s if your insurance company even keeps you as a client. If your job involves driving or requires you to have a clean criminal record, driving too fast could literally force you into a career change. Those who work in federal roles or jobs that require security clearances are also negatively impacted by reckless or aggressive driving.

A criminal record may also influence where you live, as some landlords may only rent to those with clean records. Your reputation may suffer, particularly if your speeding causes an accident that injures others. In short, the decision to speed to save a few minutes could turn into a mistake that changes your life forever.

How people underestimate 30 MPH

When you consider how fast you have to drive to be 30 MPH over the speed limit, it may seem impossible to drive this fast by accident. In fact, many people find it shockingly easy to speed without realizing it. Consider a recent TikTok trend—in it, people place the text “my 90 in a 35” over a video or image of them listening to a song that makes them speed. Generally, the trend is used for songs that make you feel euphoric or intense. The fact that this trend took off shows that it is incredibly common to speed when you get caught up in a moment.

People also underestimate their speed when driving on an empty road. If you’ve ever had the highway to yourself because you’re driving while everyone else is asleep, it’s tempting to hit the gas and finish your drive. But even if it seems like no one is around, speeding is still against the law.

Basically, driving 30 MPH over the speed limit isn’t just reserved for drag racers and those who are willfully driving aggressively. It can happen to drivers who would otherwise balk at the thought of speeding that much.

Facing speeding charges? Let’s talk

Drew Cochran, Attorney At Law, understands the numerous ways a criminal conviction could impact your life. That’s why we’re here to advocate for you. To get started on your defense, contact us online or call us today.