The first speed limit in Michigan was 65 mph. Courtesy | Facebook 

This February was the 68th anniversary of Michigan lawmakers instituting the state’s first speed limit. 

Michigan lawmakers set highway speed limits to 65 mph during the day and 55 mph at night on Feb. 3, 1956. Before this, drivers were allowed to drive at speeds they deemed reasonable.

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, the speed limit on select freeways increased to 75 mph in 2017. 

Greg McLogan ’88, co-historian of the Hillsdale College Alumni Association Board, said it is surprising people used to be able to drive as fast as they dared.

“For as long as there have been cars, people have wanted cars to go faster while lawmakers have tried to slow them down,” McLogan said. “I’d be curious if there were less accidents back then. Of course, there were a lot less cars on the road at that time.”

Hillsdale Chief of Police Scott Hephner said in 1981 the city adopted by amended resolution #851 Traffic Control Order 1981-1, which ratified and authorized the placement and existence of traffic control devices to control the operation of motor vehicles in the city of Hillsdale.

“This included speed limit signs,” Hephner said. “Prior to and since, any street without speed limit signage is controlled by prima facie speed laws authorized by the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code 257.627 Act 300 of 1949.”

Hephner said an example of this is a residential street that has no speed limit signs and has a prima facie speed limit of 25 mph per the state code.

Professor of History Brad Birzer said the Jonesville police set up a radar to determine the average speed on Homer Road — Hillsdale Street in Jonesville.

“Once they figured out the average speed, they set the speed limit,” Birzer said. “I mentioned this in class as a great example of common law.”