Organizations such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) have long cited the relationship between speeding and highway collisions. The federal agency is in the midst of creating a controversial speed-limiting proposal it hopes to roll out this year. But from a trucker’s perspective, inching above the legal limit and getting slapped with a ticket also remains a business and livelihood concern.
While the overwhelming majority of CDL holders practice outstanding safety measures, missing an MPH sign could prove costly. These are the Top 10 states where law enforcement issues the highest number of speeding citations based on an analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
- Ohio: 14.95 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- Iowa: 14.87 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- North Dakota: 14.41 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- Wisconsin: 13.43 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- South Carolina: 13.35 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- Virginia: 12.65 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- Alaska: 12.40 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- Washington: 12.17 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- Colorado: 12.03 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
- Wyoming: 12.01 percent of drivers were cited for speeding.
The national average for drivers receiving speeding tickets was 9.18 percent during 2022. It may seem almost counterintuitive, but with its truck-only mileage tax scheme, Connecticut ranked as the country’s lowest. Only 4.74 percent of Connecticut motorists were reportedly written up last year.
The other equation for truckers involves the dollar amount of speeding tickets. Ohio may be swelling state coffers by collecting fines through volume, but these states level the most expensive minimum and maximum penalties for CDL holders, according to TrafficTickets.com.
- Illinois: $75 to $2,500
- Arizona: 0 to $2,500
- Colorado: $115 to $1,000
- Nevada: $25 to $1,000
- Iowa: $25 to $625
- Connecticut: $198 to $560
- Maryland: $80 to $530
- California: $230 to $500
- Hawaii: $200 to $500
- Utah: $150 to $500
As veteran truckers know all too well, getting a speeding ticket doesn’t end with writing a check. Truckers typically incur higher insurance premiums and accrue points against their CDL. These issues can jeopardize the ability of the men and women who deliver America’s goods and materials to secure among the highest-paying opportunities.
The current leadership and the FMCSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance appear to be emphasizing speed safety. During the annual Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement issued 7,299 warnings and 8,586 speeding tickets across the U.S. and Canada. The next highest category was failing to wear a seatbelt at a distant 1,603 warnings and 1,891 citations.
Sources: traffictickets.com, foxla.com, cvsa.org
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