The 4 Most Common Traffic Tickets and What They’ll Cost You
Many people who receive a speeding ticket or are cited for another traffic violation often treat them as a mere nuisance. However, these minor infractions can have major financial consequences depending on their level of seriousness.
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Penalties for violating traffic laws include such actions against the person’s driver’s license as points on the person’s driving record, traffic court requirements, increased car insurance rates and mandatory defensive driving training. The tickets themselves can also be quite expensive, depending on where the infraction occurred, state laws and the severity of the offence.
As Direct Auto Insurance notes, municipalities certainly don’t consider traffic offenses trivial. Fines are used to fund a significant portion of their budgets, so don’t expect the police to turn a blind eye to drivers disobeying the rules of the road. Traffic citations account for more than 10% of general fund revenues in nearly 600 U.S. jurisdictions and in at least 284, it’s more than 20%, per Governing.com.
According to The Zebra, here are the four most common traffic violations in the U.S. and their corresponding estimated ticket cost range and average insurance premium increases you can expect to pay if you’re in the wrong on the road. These vary wildly from state to state as do driver point system losses.
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Speeding
Estimated Ticket Cost Range: $25-$1,000
Typical Insurance Increase: 22%
Speeding is the most common traffic ticket in the United States. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), “Speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2022, killing 12,151, or an average of over 33 people on a typical day. The total number of fatal motor-vehicle crashes attributable to speeding was 10,922.”
Although rare, in some cases, excessive speeding can even lead to criminal charges such as reckless driving, which can have a significant impact on your ability to drive and can result in jail time. Driving too fast for road or weather conditions can also lead you to be cited by police, even if you’re technically driving under the maximum speed limit.
Texting While Driving
Estimated Ticket Cost Range: $20-$250
Typical Insurance Increase: 21%
Falling under the “distracted driving,” umbrella, texting while driving remains prevalent. Each year, more than 3,000 people lose their lives to car accidents resulting from distracted driver, and as Forbes states, nine people die every day in the United States from distracted driving.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.”
Running a Red Light/Ignoring a Traffic or Stop Sign
Estimated Ticket Cost Range: $50-$500
Typical Insurance Increase: 21%
Running a red light is a dangerous and illegal driving behavior. If you’re caught, you can expect to receive a ticket and a fine. Many states are turning red light cameras to catch violators, clocking offenders burning lights and sending them tickets in the mail.
One of the more common causes of automobile accidents is ignored traffic signs, like failure to stop at a stop sign. In the eyes of the police, there’s no such thing as a “rolling stop,” so it’s important to come to a complete stop at all stop signs, even if you don’t see any other cars or pedestrians nearby.
Driving Under the Influence
Estimated Ticket Cost Range: $300-$2,100
Typical Insurance Increase: 62%
Although speeding is the most common traffic ticket, driving under the influence is the most severe. In addition to hefty fines and insurance increases, drinking and driving could cost you plenty in court fees, alcohol education programs, interlock ignition devices, lawyer fees and a world of inconveniences, starting with the suspension of your license.
Progress has been made to stigmatize and curb drinking and driving. According to the NSC, 32% of all traffic deaths involved alcohol-impaired crashes in 2022, but this is down considerably from 1982, when it was 48%. Still, the 13,524 people that were killed in 2022 from the illegal and destructive behavior of alcohol-impaired driving were 13,524 too many.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The 4 Most Common Traffic Tickets and What They’ll Cost You
