This could be considered Hagar's foray into social awareness. While some rock stars were concerned about the environment or civil rights, Hagar was upset with the lowering of highway speed limits. He had a lot of support for his cause.
The song references the since-repealed National Maximum Speed Law that set speed limits at 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) in the US. Hagar wrote "I Can't Drive" in protest after getting a speeding ticket in New York State for driving 62 miles per hour on a road with a 55 miles-per-hour speed limit. Speaking to Fox5 KVVU-TV in February 2022, Hagar said the song's meaning had changed over the years. "Originally it was a protest song about that I didn't wanna go - when they lowered the speed limit," he explained. "And now it's a protest song that I can't get where I'm going; I'm always late."
"I Can't Drive 55" is Sammy Hagar's biggest hit as a solo artist, consistently played on Classic Rock radio. He joined Van Halen a year after it was released.
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