Is driving at 85 in an 80 speed limit zone considered speeding?
3 Answers
Driving at 85 in an 80 speed limit zone is considered speeding. Here is more information about speeding: 1. Penalties: If you drive at 85 in an 80 speed limit zone, it is considered speeding but does not exceed 10% of the speed limit, so you will not be fined or receive penalty points, but you may receive a warning. If you exceed the speed limit by 10% to 20%, you will be fined 100 RMB and receive 3 penalty points. If you exceed the speed limit by 20% to 50%, you will be fined 200 RMB and receive 6 penalty points. 2. Legal basis: Article 86 of the 'Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China'.
I believe driving at 85 km/h on an 80 km/h speed-limited road definitely counts as speeding. The law states that exceeding the speed limit constitutes a violation, but many areas have a 10% tolerance buffer—for example, you might only get a ticket at 88 km/h. I often encounter such minor speeding while driving, and traffic police use speed detection devices for enforcement, especially on highways or major urban roads. Slight speeding might just result in a warning, but repeated offenses can affect your driver's license points or even lead to deductions. Safety should always come first—even a small increase in speed lengthens braking distance and raises accident risks. I recommend adhering to speed limits to avoid fines and risks. In reality, a car's speedometer may have errors—showing 85 km/h doesn’t necessarily mean you're actually going that fast—but if caught by police, it’s still a violation.
In my driving experience, I've found that exceeding the 80 km/h speed limit by just 5 km to 85 km/h is indeed speeding. The risks associated with increased speed are significant. At 80 km/h, the braking distance is approximately 40 meters, while at 85 km/h, it increases to over 45 meters. This 5 km difference can determine whether an accident occurs in an emergency. It's common to see vehicles slightly exceeding speed limits on the road, but if caught by radar, you'll have to accept the ticket—police don't consider it a minor oversight. Developing this driving habit long-term can lead to bad habits, making accidents more likely in rainy or snowy conditions. I recommend getting into the habit of checking the speedometer and maintaining a moderate speed, avoiding speeding just to save time. Remember, speeding also affects insurance costs and can lead to premium increases, so even slight speeding should be approached with caution. It's best to download a navigation app with speed limit alerts to avoid unknowingly crossing the line.
