Oh, Michigan and its roads. There's plenty to complain about—construction season, potholes that will do more than pop your tires, bridges that devour cars, drivers who don't know how to merge, drivers who don't use their turn signals, just... other drivers in general.

One thing that's less of an issue in Michigan though? Slow drivers.

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Now, whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on your personal need for speed. But according to a new study, Michigan drivers are among the fastest in the U.S.

The Study That Puts Michigan in the Fast Lane

The study looked at real-world driving speeds across the globe using data from the Google Routes API. Instead of just looking at speed limits, the researchers mapped out both long-distance and urban routes at various times of day to find out how fast people are actually driving.

READ MORE: Michigan Man Leads Police on Chase Across Mackinac Bridge, Rams Toll Booth, Attempts Carjacking

Turns out, U.S. drivers are the fastest in the world, averaging 68.1 miles per hour on long-distance routes.

How Michigan Driving Speeds Compare to the Rest of the U.S.

Within the U.S., states out West dominate the top of the speed charts. Here are the five states with the fastest average speeds:

  1. Wyoming - 72 mph
  2. New Mexico - 71 mph
  3. Idaho - 70.5 mph
  4. South Dakota - 70.4 mph
  5. Florida - 69.4 mph

Michigan, though is not far behind—matching the national average and outrunning most of our Midwest neighbors:

  1. Michigan - 68.1 mph
  2. Wisconsin - 61.8 mph
  3. Illinois - 65.8 mph
  4. Ohio - 67.1 mph

Why Do Michiganders Drive So Fast?

Part of the reason for that? Michigan has some of the highest highway speed limits in the region. While Illinois and Indiana top out at 55 mph in many urban areas, and Ohio posts 65 mph, Michigan highways often allow 70 or even 75 mph.

BELOW: DISCOVER MICHIGAN'S MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS

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But here’s something interesting: those speed limits aren’t just randomly chosen. The Michigan Department of Transportation actually bases them on how fast drivers are already going. So in a way, we set our own pace. More on that here.

What else could be leading to Michigan’s fast-driving habits? Maybe it’s the long, rural stretches of highway—or maybe it’s car culture in general. After all, this is the birthplace of the American auto industry.

READ MORE: Two Michigan Cities Top List of Most Affordable Spots to Buy a Home in 2025

Out-Of-Staters Are Noticing

If you’re not from around here, the pace can be a bit... alarming. As one New England transplant recently asked in a Michigan subreddit: "Do Speed Limits Even Matter Here?" User InterestedHandbag writes,

Hey Michigan, so I just moved here and I'm wondering why everyone drives so quickly?

For example it's a 70 mph speed limit and everyone is doing 75-85... I'm confused as to how I'm supposed to drive here, since I'm from the New England area. Do I cruise at speed limit on the right or do I just follow everyone else?

Do the police not care?

Some of the responses? Classic:

“The key is to be neither the fastest nor slowest car out there.”

“Can’t get us all if we all do the same speed. Welcome to Michigan.”

"I've always wondered when I see MSP actually have someone pulled over how ridiculously fast they must have been going."

So what do you think? Is our collective lead foot a problem—or do you prefer it to crawling behind a slowpoke?

Just Because Everyone’s Speeding Doesn’t Mean It’s Legal

It’s worth noting: even though speeding is common on Michigan highways, it’s still illegal. Going over the posted limit can absolutely get you pulled over—and ticketed (yes, even for 5 miles over...)

And the Slowest Drivers in the U.S. Award Goes To...

Oh, and in case you're wondering:  the slowest drivers in the U.S. live in New Hampshire, where the average speed is just 52.8 mph. Check out the full map of state-by-state speeds here.

The 11 Most Dangerous Intersections in Michigan

The auto accident attorneys at MichiganAutoLaw.com examined data from 2023 (the most recent available data) to determine which intersections in Michigan were the most dangerous. For MichiganAutoLaw's complete methodology and additional data on hazardous intersections in Michigan, see the link in #1. Let's count down to the state's most perilous crossing with Michigan's 11 Most Dangerous Intersections.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Road Fatalities: Most Dangerous Time, Day, and Month by State

Knowing what dangers are ahead is part of being a good driver. Georgia-based attorneys at Bader Scott gathered information from the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHTSA) to determine the most fatal time, day, and month to be on the road in each of the 50 states.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

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