ATLANTA, Ga. — Imagine a world where driving from Atlanta to Savannah on I-16 meant locking your cruise control at a crawling 55 mph. No matter how wide open the road, passing that “double nickel” threshold could cost you a ticket.
That was the reality solidified on January 2, 1974, when President Richard Nixon signed the National Maximum Speed Law (NMSL). Enacted as an emergency response to the 1973 oil crisis, the law mandated a federal 55 mph speed limit nationwide to curb gasoline consumption.
While the law is long gone, its legacy continues to shape how Georgians drive today—from the rural interstates to the dreaded “Super Speeder” fines.
The “Double Nickel” Era
For over two decades, Georgia’s highways were federally throttled. The 55 mph limit was famously unpopular, inspiring songs like Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55” and creating a culture of CB-radio-wielding drivers looking out for “Smokey.”…