- WalletHub.com published a study of the strictest and most lenient states in America when it comes to speeding and reckless driving.
- The study looked at 12 categories to measure how severely each state responds to speeding and reckless driving.
- Texas proved to be the most lenient state in the country when it comes to policing those driving violations.
- Delaware is the most strict when it comes to driving offenses.
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One of the great aspects of America is that each state is unique. No two are alike, no matter how close they are in geography or even demographics. The same goes for their driving laws and insurance rates.
WalletHub.com took a look at the laws of all 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, to find the best and the worst places in America to get a speeding ticket.
The methodology Wallethub.com used in its study included looking at how states respond to two offenses – speeding and reckless driving – using 12 subcategories, assigning various points to each. The more strict or severe the response, the higher the point value.
For speeding, the subcategories included: the mph over the speed limit where speeding is automatically considered reckless driving, the type of speed limit, the average increase in cost of insurance after one speeding ticket, the laws in place prohibiting racing on highways, whether the state uses automatic speed cameras, whether the state has additional penalties for aggressive driving, and how much speeding tickets count toward a suspension.
In terms of reckless driving, the categories were: mandatory license suspension for a first conviction, minimum jail time for a first conviction, maximum fine for a first conviction, minimum jail time for a second conviction, and maximum fine for a second conviction.
The study returned some interesting results. Texas finished 51st as the most lenient state in the US, and Delaware finished as the strictest state. According to the study, 42% of states and Washington, DC, use speed cameras to catch speeders. The study also found that the average maximum cost of reckless driving tickets in the US is $845, with the cheapest being $100 in states such as Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Ohio. The most expensive maximum fine for reckless driving is approximately $6,250 in Oregon.
However, these figures pale in comparison to the $40.4 billion in economic cost to society caused by speeding-related crashes.
Read more: How much car insurance costs across all 50 states
According to WalletHub.com, its study used data from its own research as well as from the US Department of Transportation, Department of Motor Vehicles, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Here's a closer look at how US states and Washington, DC, react to speeding and reckless driving, from the most lenient to the most strict:
51: Texas.
49. Mississippi (Tie).
49. Oklahoma (Tie).
47. New Jersey (Tie).
47. Nebraska (Tie).
43. South Carolina (Tie).
43. Ohio (Tie).
43. Montana (Tie).
43. Kentucky (Tie).
39. Wisconsin (Tie).
39. Michigan (Tie).
39. New Hampshire (Tie).
39. Massachusetts (Tie).
34. North Dakota (Tie).
34. Nevada (Tie).
34. Minnesota (Tie).
34. Connecticut (Tie).
34. Indiana (Tie).
29. Utah (Tie).
29. South Dakota (Tie).
29. Pennsylvania (Tie).
29. Tennessee (Tie).
29. Missouri (Tie).
28. Idaho.
24. Maine (Tie).
24. Louisiana (Tie).
24. Alaska (Tie).
24. Hawaii (Tie).
20. Rhode Island (Tie).
20. Florida (Tie).
20. New York: (Tie).
20. Washington D.C. (Tie).
17. Georgia (Tie).
17. Vermont (Tie).
17. Wyoming (Tie).
16. Iowa.
15. Kansas.
13. Maryland (Tie).
13. West Virginia (Tie).
12. Arkansas.
8. Washington (Tie).
8. Alabama (Tie).
8. Virginia (Tie).
8. Illinois (Tie).
7. North Carolina.
6. Oregon.
5. California.
3. New Mexico (Tie).
3. Arizona (Tie).
2. Colorado.
1. Delaware.
