Fourth slowest: New YorkOn average, the speed limit in New York State is a paltry 58 mph, which makes sense for someplace like New York City, arguably the urban capital of the world. Despite being the setting for "The French Connection" and its awe-inspiring car chase, New York City's grid-based layout and countless intersections simply isn't conducive to driving fast. For city people, public transportation is safer and more convenient, anyway. If you want to drive fast in a city, you're better off moving to Los Angeles, legendary traffic jams notwithstanding.New York is much bigger than a single city, but even its endless highways boast a maximum speed limit of just 65 mph, which was the national standard way back in 1987. Why so slow? Perhaps the answer lies in the geographical diversity of New York. The state is surprisingly mountainous, hosting the Catskill Mountains, the Adirondack Mountains, and even part of the iconic Appalachian Mountains. All told, there are over 3800 named mountains in New York, and with that in mind, it's easy to see why drivers need to be careful. You won't just get trapped in a ditch in one wrong turn. You'll go flying off a mountain.Third slowest: Rhode IslandIn terms of land area, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the USA. It covers only around 1,214 square miles, and with a population of only 1.112 million people, it's not exactly the most densely populated state in the Union. If you drive too fast, you'll be in and out before you even know it. Maybe the average speed limit is only 58 mph in an effort to keep people in the state as long as possible. That's probably a stretch, though.In truth, Rhode Island is seen as something of a throwback, old-timey state alongside Vermont (but we'll get to that one later). The state is an interesting juxtaposition of colonial-style towns and surprisingly big cities like Providence, the capital. Rhode Island has miles of coastline and shoreline to its name and tons of beaches to go along with its charmingly sleepy hamlets. Despite its small size, Rhode Island also features over 13,500 miles of roads, and that density undoubtedly contributes to the state's restrictive speed limits.Fifth fastest: UtahWe've covered the slow, boring states, so now it's time to look at the fast, exciting states. And when one thinks of fast and exciting, the first state that comes to mind is, of course, Utah. Despite its mountainous topography, Utah is one of the most lenient states in the Union in terms of speed limits. The average speed limit is a cool 75 mph, which means that if you stay on the highway with plans on just passing through, you won't have to stay in Utah for very long. Or maybe they need to drive fast to stay awake since nobody drinks coffee in Utah.Joking aside, Utah has a diverse topography. Unlike New York, which has its roads built directly onto its mountains, much of Utah's asphalt paths navigate the dangerous terrain with greater efficiency. Thus, it's relatively safe to drive fast through the state's famous rattlesnake deserts insofar as it's ever truly safe to drive around in a gas-powered combustible chimera of fiberglass and steel.Utah has slowly increased its speed limits over the last several years. Rural interstate highways had a speed limit of 75 mph until 2008, when a law was passed enabling speed limits to be raised above 75 mph. It took until 2009 for the first roads to actually adopt an 80 mph limit, with more added in subsequent years. Give it a few more years, and Utah's average speed limit may rise even higher.Fourth fastest: WyomingWith only 590,000 residents, the single least populated state in the Union, Wyoming, is also the tenth-largest state. There's a lot of land and not a lot of people. While the state does boast the Rocky Mountains, it also features the Great Plains, a wide open stretch of land that's perfect for driving fast, preferably with the top down and wind whipping through your hair.Between the majestic mountains and the endless plains, Wyoming is one of the most picturesque states in the country, so while the average speed limit is a zippy 75 mph, you might want to spend some time in the slow lane so you can soak up the scenery. This is, after all, the home of Yellowstone National Park, one of the most gorgeous natural habitats in the country. Wyoming is sometimes derisively referred to as a flyover state, but America is a large and wonderful place. Whether in a bustling city, a dense forest, a wide-open plain, or a massive mountain range, there's always beauty to behold.Third fastest: IdahoJust to the west of Wyoming is Idaho, which boasts an average speed limit of 77 mph. When one gets bored of looking at endless fields of potatoes (Idaho's State vegetable), they can race to one of the cities to buy ... potatoes. Of course, if you don't feel like eating potatoes, you can also eat one of the state's more peculiar desserts, the ice cream potato. Despite its name, the dish doesn't actually have any potato or potato flavor but is just ice cream molded into the shape of a loaded baked potato. They do have potato-flavored ice cream, though, if you're into that sort of thing.Potatoes aside, Idaho is a state defined by its outdoor fun, from the fishing and watersports of the iconic Snake River to the scenic Rocky Mountains and beautiful geysers and hot springs. Basically, if you want to go anywhere to have a good time, you'll need to drive, and if you have a nice car, you might want to drive fast, within the bounds of law and safety, of course. That way, you can find more potato-based products. Second fastest: South DakotaFor some reason, there are two Dakotas. There are a few reasons why, but if there are two Virginias, why not two Dakotas? In any case, South Dakota boasts an average speed limit of 77 mph, which is five mph faster than North Dakota. The state is largely part of the Great Plains region, which means it consists of wide open expanses of flat land just begging to be taken with as much speed as your car can muster.Perhaps South Dakota's need for speed is part of why it plays host to the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, an annual event that's been held since 1938. A celebration of motorcycle culture and America's love of all things fast and loud, the event draws around 500,000 vehicles every year to Sturgis and the Black Hills, bringing in an estimated $800 million to the state. Historically, biker culture doesn't mix well with law enforcement, so holding the event in a state with relatively lax speed limits makes sense. Even so, the 2024 event saw 12 fatalities as a result of motorcycle accidents and dozens of non-fatal injuries.