Every day, our Georgia traffic law office gets flooded with calls and emails from drivers who’ve been pulled over. Sometimes this happens on busy interstates, other times on quiet back roads, and they are handed a speeding ticket by a state trooper or local officer. Over the years, we’ve heard just about every story imaginable about why someone was speeding and how they got caught. So we decided to dig into the numbers and see where Georgia actually ranks when it comes to speeding tickets nationwide.
The statistics are honestly pretty mind-blowing. According to research from NHTSA and Statistic Brain, police write roughly 112,000 speeding tickets every single day in America. Let that sink in for a second. That adds up to about 41 million speeding tickets handed out each year across the country. Put another way, roughly one in five drivers, or about 20.6%, will get nailed with a speeding ticket at some point this year.
And these tickets aren’t cheap. The average speeding ticket runs around $152, though plenty of drivers pay significantly more depending on how fast they were going and where they got caught. All told, Americans collectively shell out more than $6.2 billion annually in speeding ticket fines (based on 2014 figures, so it’s likely even higher now).
It’s no secret that speeding tickets represent serious revenue for cities and counties nationwide. But where does Georgia fit into all this? Turns out, Georgia ranks 6th in the nation for speeding tickets issued. Here’s how the top 10 breaks down:
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- California
- Texas
- Georgia
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
Within Georgia itself, some cities are more notorious than others. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution actually broke down which municipalities pull in the most ticket revenue, and Doraville topped that list. If you want to learn more about known speed traps in Georgia, there’s plenty of information out there about where officers tend to set up shop.
Speeding causes more accidents and the higher the rate of speed over the limit, the more likely a crash could occur. According to the injuryfacts.nsl.org, 29% of all traffic fatalities were speeding related. That number varies by state, you can view those statistics.
So what’s the best way to avoid becoming part of these statistics? Honestly, it comes down to staying aware. Watch those speed limit signs, especially when they change, and keep distractions to a minimum. But if you do find yourself with a ticket in hand, that’s exactly what we’re here for. Our speeding ticket attorneys can help you figure out your options and potentially reduce the impact on your driving record and insurance rates. Call 404-315-9936 for a free traffic ticket consultation, or complete the form on this website and we will get back to you.
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