Does Speed Limit Change When You're Towing A Trailer?

The United States is divided into 50 individual states, each with its own specific rules and regulations regarding driving, including different speed limits. This can make traveling across numerous states especially tricky, particularly if you're unaccustomed to the individual laws of said states. Things can get even trickier if you're towing a trailer, too.

Not only that, but different rules will apply to different roads. For instance, did you know that rural interstate highways not only have a maximum speed limit, usually of 70 mph, but also a minimum speed limit of 45 mph? This will ultimately mean certain vehicles can not use those roads, as they do not meet the minimum-required top speed.

The size of your trailer will also have a role to play in this, as yes, speed limits can change when you're towing a trailer, but sometimes the altered limit will only apply if your rig is of a certain size. For example, most rigs that exceed 8,000 lbs will need to adhere to that state's truck limits, if they have them, and another set of rules may also apply if your trailer is normally the type that is anchored to the ground when occupied. Below, we explore some common rules and regulations surrounding trailers and speed limits, in addition to giving some state-specific examples, and how you can be sure to stay within the confines of the law when out towing.

Most states do not outline a speed limit, specifically for any type of trailer, but some, like Kansas, do. For those towing a mobile home, the limit on both urban and rural interstates is set to 55 mph, whereas the majority of traffic will be moving at 70 or 75 mph, depending on the interstate. This limit is specifically for mobile home towing, though, whereas other states are less specific.

California, for example, enforces a 55 mph speed limit for all trucks and trailers when traveling on rural and urban interstates. Some states, such as Hawaii, which has a 60 mph speed limit for all vehicles on both rural and urban interstates, have no separately outlined limits when it comes to towing trailers. This may be due to how low the speed limit is anyway. Mississippi is another example of this, as the state has a blanket speed limit for all cars and trucks — in this instance, it's 70 mph, with no regulations laid out for trucks or trailers specifically.

In some states, it's imperative that the driver is aware of the total combined weight of their setup. One example of where this is essential is in Ohio, where the law dictates that when the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer exceeds 8,000 lbs, then the speed limit drops from either 65 or 70 mph, depending on whether it's a rural or urban interstate, to 55 mph.