How Much is the Cost of a Speeding Ticket in the U.S.?
Speeding tickets in the U.S. usually cost $150 on average, but violators in some states may even pay more than $2,400 in penalties aside from jail time.
The number of issued tickets also vary among states, although law enforcement in different parts of the country uses a high-tech police radar gun and other tools to catch speeding violators.
Expensive States
If you plan to drive cross-country, it pays to know the applicable fines and penalties for speeding drivers. In Nevada, for instance, violators could pay up to $1,000 on their first offense. Those in Georgia could also pay the same amount.
Repeated offenses could possibly result in jail time from six months to a year. However, note that some states such as Virginia are particularly strict on offenders that the law could easily place violators in jail even if it’s their first time. States with costly fines are usually where issuing speeding tickets are common. If you live in a place with expensive fines, remember that having a speed ticket could lead to higher insurance premiums.
Drivers’ Survey
Most drivers will complain about receiving a ticket, especially in a state where fines are steep, yet a survey showed that they recognize their mistake, according to a 2015 survey. The poll showed that 91% of the respondents admitted that police officers had a valid reason for pulling them over on the side of the road.
A traffic stop becomes legitimate among 95% of the respondents only if the police officer provides a reason. Otherwise, 37% of the respondents believe that there is no valid excuse for flagging them down.
Law enforcement groups should not just rely on hefty fines to deter motorists from going over the speed limit. Proper implementation of traffic laws requires special tools for a fair and reasonable judgment.
