Speeding Tickets-A Multibillion Dollar Industry

Released on = June 19, 2005, 7:25 am

Press Release Author = Wayne Patterson

Industry = Law

Press Release Summary = An analysis of the Governor’s Highway Safety Association
report reveals that the speeding ticket revenue taken in by state and local
governments exceeds 8 billion dollars per year.

Press Release Body = by Wayne Patterson
http://www.speedingticketcentral.com
800-550-3308

The number of traffic accidents has decreased as has the number and seriousness of
personal injuries. During this period the number of autos on the road and the number
of miles driven have both increased. The absolute proof is that the auto insurance
industry is actually decreasing the cost of auto insurance in many instances.

In light of these facts what is the response from our state governments? It is to be
found in the call from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association for a tougher
stance on speeding. It seems that they have found out that most police officers give
drivers a 10mph “cushion”before issuing a speeding ticket. This lack of strict
enforcement has outraged the powers that be. The real question is why they are so
upset? Supposedly they are concerned for our safety. If that is the case then why is
the fact our roads are safer than ever being relegated to the back pages while the
call for tougher enforcement is a major news story.

Could it be that what most of us have suspected is really true? Are speeding tickets
more about revenue than safety? I agree that excessive speeding and aggressive
driving are a danger and those drivers need to be dealt with severely. But are you
really safer if you drive 55 while the rest of the vehicles are moving at 65. The
answer is a resounding NO. The fact is that the majority of drivers will maintain a
speed which they feel comfortable and safe. This is why many states use traffic
surveys to set speed limits. Studies have shown that the speed of 85% of the
vehicles is the best determination of the safe speed for that particular roadway.

Since there is no real evidence that the “cushion” is a safety factor then why the
call for tougher enforcement? Could it be that the Governors are not satisfied with
the take from the current multibillion dollar speeding ticket industry? I will give
you some facts and then you can decide for yourself.

An analysis of the data in the Governors Highway Safety Report shows that the
Highway Patrol in the forty states that keep statistics on the number of traffic
citations issued more than 8.1 million tickets. Multiply this by the base speeding
ticket fine rate in each state and the total comes to more than 2.3 billion in
revenue. Keep in mind that this is only from the Highway Patrol and does not include
the citations written by local officers. It is not unusual for a small town to take
in a significant amount of its budget from speeding ticket fines. In fact it has
become such a problem that some states have passed laws regulating the percentage of
the budget a town can take in from traffic fines. Oklahoma passed such a law just
last year after numerous complaints.

Florida is one of the few states that keeps records on the number of speeding
tickets issued by local officers. In 2003 the Florida State Patrol issued 396,252
tickets and local police issued 394,752 citations for a total combined revenue of
more than $200 million dollars. Take the ten states that do not report and add in
the speeding tickets issued by local police and the total yearly revenue from
speeding tickets could easily exceed 8 billion dollars.

How would you like to own a business with such a guaranteed rate of return? All you
have to do is to hire a few more officers, take away the “cushion,” and watch the
money roll in. If you are on the receiving end of this “road tax” do not blame the
officer. He or she is just doing their job and most officers are truly concerned
about your safety. They work long hours and see the public at their worst. They
deserve our respect and should be treated accordingly.

This is a political issue and can only be corrected by public pressure. Just as the
numerous complaints in Oklahoma finally resulted in a new law restricting the number
of speeding tickets, your input to your local representation is your most effective
weapon. Fair and impartial enforcement for safety is needed. Unjust enforcement
simply for the sake of revenue should not be tolerated. I recently stopped in a
small town and picked up the local paper. In it the mayor was actually bragging
about the number of speeding tickets issued to “out-of-towners.” If you allow it in
your town, then don’t complain when it happens to you.

Web Site = http://www.speedingticketcentral.com

Contact Details = Wayne Patterson
512 Hood Road
Greenville, SC
800-550-3308