Speeding Infractions Costly in Certain States

Reckless driving is, well, reckless. But Americans keep speeding, willing to risk the financial consequences, which vary wildly from state to state. So where is it costliest to floor it?

Delaware and Colorado are the toughest states on speeding and reckless driving, charging hefty fines and penalties, according to a new report from WalletHub that analyzed data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Arizona, New Mexico and California followed close behind. If you’ve got a lead foot, Texas was ranked the most lenient state.

Oregon issues the priciest tickets in the country for reckless driving, topping out at $6,250, the report found. Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico and Ohio issue the cheapest tickets at $100. The average maximum ticket costs a driver $845, up 14 percent from 2015.

Fines aren’t the only financial consequences. The increase in insurance rates after a moving violation can be even more costly than the ticket itself. Alaska issues the highest additional cost for car insurance after one speeding ticket, raising rates by more than 65 percent.

Driving recklessly can even land you in jail. Across the country, drivers on average spend at least one day in jail for their first offense and three days for their second offense for reckless driving, the report shows.

Surprisingly, more than half the states do not have a specific speed threshold for what is considered reckless driving, which allows those accused to argue in court that their speed was, in fact, reasonable.