The flashing lights from a police car are the first indication of trouble. A law enforcement official pulls you over as you anticipate the consequences during that slow walk to your vehicle. You provide your license and registration as another slow walk occurs, and you await your fate.
RateGenius recently revealed states with the highest percentage of drivers with speeding infractions based on data from Insurify, a motor vehicle insurance platform.
After the national 55 mph speed limit began during the Nixon administration in the seventies, lasting well into the eighties, states were given back the authority to establish their own limits. The change did little to stem traffic accidents. Nearly a third of collisions caused by excessive speeds were fatal, averaging 30 deaths per day.
The consequences of speeding
Nationwide, a little more than 10 percent of drivers have speeding tickets on their respective records. While fines are par for the course, the more significant costs involve higher insurance rates. An average speeding ticket can increase insurance costs by nearly 25 percent, with additional payouts of almost $400 annually.
Colorado maxes out at a speed limit at 65 miles per hour on area interstates. Those who have the need for more speed, reaching 25 or more mph, can be charged with a misdemeanor traffic offense resulting in a fine of up to $300 and jail time of 90 days.
The state ranks sixth in the nation, with 14 percent of drivers having prior speeding tickets. From 2019 to 2021, state residents from 16 to 21 looking for something to do during a worldwide pandemic accounted for 9,240 speeding infractions in 2021 alone.
The most cutting-edge technology used to determine rates of speed for cars are not infallible. It can be costly to accept the “verdict” that may come with a steep financial price and impact the ability to travel via a motor vehicle.