Yahoo Autos What’s the Worst State for Speeding Tickets?
You may hear your elders tell you that driving laws in your town or state are “some of the worst in the country.” They could be telling you that to keep you driving safe, or just our of ignorance. The fact is, some states are definitely worse than others, and thankfully we can prove it with math!
The fiscally savvy folks over at WalletHub have put together a complex study of which states are the worse for financial penalties. The company looked at 12 key metrics across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. And they found that the worst state for tickets was…Colorado. Illinois came in a close second, tied with Delaware, Arizona and New Mexico.
RELATED: How Much Speeding Tickets REALLY Cost, and How Not to Get Them
Though not the outright winner, Illinois has it pretty bad. Their law enforcement automatically considers speeding reckless driving, and as a result, it incurs the highest maximum fine (especially for your second reckless offense, which is just your second speeding ticket). The report also cites the frequency jail time issued for a first reckless offense as well as second offense as to why Illinois is, financially, a terrible place to speed in.
Overall Rank | State | Reckless Penalties | Speeding Enforcement |
1 | Colorado | 2 | 10 |
2 | Arizona | 10 | 2 |
2 | Delaware | 1 | 23 |
2 | Illinois | 8 | 4 |
5 | New Mexico | 10 | 4 |
6 | Virginia | 8 | 14 |
7 | Iowa | 24 | 1 |
7 | Massachusetts | 2 | 31 |
9 | Alabama | 10 | 15 |
10 | District Of Columbia | 15 | 10 |
11 | Arkansas | 4 | 44 |
11 | California | 5 | 31 |
11 | Oregon | 19 | 7 |
11 | Washington | 19 | 7 |
15 | West Virginia | 6 | 31 |
16 | Kansas | 10 | 26 |
16 | Maryland | 27 | 7 |
18 | Indiana | 27 | 10 |
18 | Missouri | 41 | 2 |
18 | North Carolina | 15 | 19 |
21 | Oklahoma | 6 | 47 |
21 | Wyoming | 14 | 26 |
23 | Hawaii | 24 | 17 |
23 | New York | 41 | 6 |
25 | Alaska | 19 | 23 |
25 | Louisiana | 40 | 10 |
25 | Maine | 19 | 23 |
25 | Vermont | 15 | 31 |
29 | Idaho | 15 | 44 |
30 | Tennessee | 41 | 15 |
31 | Connecticut | 27 | 31 |
31 | Georgia | 27 | 31 |
31 | Minnesota | 27 | 31 |
31 | Nevada | 24 | 38 |
35 | Florida | 37 | 26 |
35 | North Dakota | 27 | 38 |
35 | Rhode Island | 27 | 38 |
38 | Michigan | 19 | 48 |
38 | Wisconsin | 45 | 17 |
40 | Kentucky | 45 | 19 |
40 | Montana | 36 | 44 |
40 | Nebraska | 37 | 38 |
40 | New Jersey | 37 | 38 |
40 | Ohio | 45 | 19 |
40 | South Carolina | 45 | 19 |
46 | New Hampshire | 27 | 48 |
47 | Mississippi | 45 | 26 |
47 | Pennsylvania | 45 | 26 |
47 | South Dakota | 41 | 38 |
47 | Utah | 27 | 50 |
51 | Texas | 45 | 50 |
RELATED: Check out images of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray P0lice Car
The study also found that 75% of states have “absolute” speed limits, meaning just by going over the limit, the state has enough to convict you of speeding. The other quarter of states have laws that allow your to argue in court that the speeding was reasonable. Also, while no states have mandatory jail time, if you are convicted of reckless driving, expect to spend at least a night in jail.
Across the country, the average maximum cost of a speeding ticket is $742. The highest is Washington state, where you could incur up to $5,000 on a single ticket. Kentucky, Mississippi, and New Mexico are all tied for the lowest, with a $100 maximum fine.
Check out the full report to see where your state stacks up for speeding tickets.
RELATED: Check out images of the Lamborghini Huracan Italian Police Car
