Speeding continues to be a major problem on U.S. roads. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), speeding accounts for 28% of all traffic fatalities.
In 2024, that meant 11,258 fatalities (a number slightly down on 2023’s 11,775 speeding fatalities) due to motorists exceeding the speed limit in their state. Yet across the country, levels of enforcement and subsequent speeding statistics significantly vary.
In this study, we’ll consider the states that feature the highest level of speeding enforcement. We’ll look at the places with the most speed traps, the most traffic cases, and those that cost motorists the most in speeding fines.
We’ll also look at the states subject to the most year-on-year change when it comes to speeding citations, plus how Georgia compares nationally regarding speeding and enforcement.
Speeding In The U.S.: Enforcement Disparities
According to study data, the U.S issues an estimated 40 million+ speeding tickets every year. In 2024, the country also reported 32.43 million incoming traffic cases, a 4% increase on 2023 figures (though numbers are down 37% between 2012 and 2024).
And in 2022, Bureau of Statistics reports suggest that police detained 12,446,800 drivers during traffic stops (5.2% of the driving population).
So, speeding is a significant problem, with young drivers and motorcyclists disproportionately responsible for speeding-related traffic deaths. For example, 37% of male drivers and 19% of female drivers in the 15- to 20-year-old age bracket involved in fatal traffic crashes in 2023 were speeding, the highest among all age ranges.
And motorcycle riders aged between 21 and 24 years old who were involved in fatal crashes had been speeding in 51% of cases, by far the highest age ratio (36% of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2023 were speeding).
Individual perpetrators of speeding violations aside, some states are far more diligent about speeding enforcement and deterring violations than others. Here are the ten states that feature the most speed traps.
The Ten States Featuring the Most Speed Traps
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Tennessee
- South Carolina
- Hawaii
- Virginia
- California
- New Jersey
- Louisiana
- Rhode Island
In contrast, North Dakota had the fewest speed traps per lane mile, followed by South Dakota and Nebraska. Yet both North Dakota (which features regularly across many subsequent speeding-related ranking tables) and South Dakota are nonetheless highly ranked on the following table, which features the highest levels of speeding ticket enforcement.
10 States With the Highest Proportion of Drivers Issued With Speeding Tickets
| State | % of drivers with a speeding ticket |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | 8.7% |
| Wisconsin | 7.8% |
| Ohio | 7.8% |
| Iowa | 7.1% |
| Idaho | 7.1% |
| Wyoming | 6.8% |
| South Dakota | 6.7% |
| Virginia | 6.6% |
| Utah | 6.5% |
| Oregon | 6.4% |
If we limit our focus to the places featuring the most traffic cases, Texas far and away leads the nation with 44.3 million cases filed between 2020 and 2024, nearly 14 million more than any other state.
Though some way behind Texas, New Jersey (30.8 million) and California (24.6 million) were placed second and third for numbers of traffic-related court filings. With Florida (16.8 million) and Pennsylvania (14.4 million ) in fourth and fifth place, the table thus far observes a simple trend: the five biggest states in the U.S. (by population) also feature the highest levels of traffic enforcement.
However, when we get to sixth spot, Georgia features 13.6 million traffic enforcement cases. Such numbers mean the state represents a slight anomaly, with enforcement numbers beyond what might be reasonably expected of the nation’s eighth most populous state.
10 States Featuring Most Traffic Enforcements (2020-2024)
| Rank | State | 5-Year Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 44,382,567 |
| 2 | New Jersey | 30,868,460 |
| 3 | California | 24,615,502 |
| 4 | Florida | 16,852,926 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 14,410,520 |
| 6 | Georgia | 13,574,202 |
| 7 | Michigan | 13,379,022 |
| 8 | Ohio | 12,066,675 |
| 9 | New York | 9,197,335 |
| 10 | Illinois | 8,105,590 |
Here’s a look at the opposite end of the enforcement rankings: the states featuring the least enforcements over the five-year period.
10 States Featuring Least Traffic Enforcements (2020-2024)
| Rank | State | 5-Year Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 236,065 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 333,127 |
| 3 | Alaska | 357,333 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 508,612 |
| 5 | Wyoming | 535,921 |
| 6 | Maine | 617,729 |
| 7 | Montana | 776,364 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 814,265 |
| 9 | North Dakota | 904,695 |
| 10 | New Mexico | 1,265,309 |
While enforcement rates are a key metric, it’s also important to consider how quickly things have changed in specific states in a way that may indicate either increased/decreased enforcement or more/less speeding. During the study period in question, Georgia is subject to a notable rise (11.54%) in enforcement caseloads.
Year-on-Year (YoY) % Change (2020-2024)
| State | YoY % Change | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | +28.33% | One of the sharpest rises nationally |
| Louisiana | +14.37% | Significant growth in court caseloads |
| Arkansas | +16.64% | Strong increase in enforcement volume |
| Georgia | +11.54% | Clear upward trend in enforcement caseloads |
| Nebraska | +9.29% | Moderate increase |
| Idaho | +6.33% | Steady growth |
| Maryland | +3.63% | Mild increase |
| Colorado | −4.33% | Minor decline |
| California | −7.64% | Traffic caseloads trending downward |
| Alaska | −16.59% | Notable enforcement drop |
| South Carolina | −47.33% | Major reduction in 2024 compared to 2020 |
Once a driver is caught speeding, there are usually financial consequences. According to study data, the following states feature the highest speeding fines by different margins of limit excess (10+, 15+ and 40mph+ margins).
While Illinois doesn’t feature at all on either 10mph or 15mph excess lists, its clear top-ranking regarding fines for exceeding limits by more than 40mph suggests permissiveness at low-excess levels and effectively zero tolerance at incredibly dangerous speeds.
California, New York and Nevada are notably consistent fixtures on all three lists, with Georgia relatively permissive at low excess levels, but significantly punitive beyond 15mph excess.
Most Expensive States: Fines for Exceeding Limits by 10mph
| State | Cost |
|---|---|
| California | $234 |
| Arizona | $231 |
| Nevada | $223 |
| Texas | $223 |
| Florida | $204 |
| North Carolina | $203 |
| Arkansas | $192 |
| Mississippi | $186 |
| New York | $183 |
| Alabama | $178 |
Most Expensive States: Fines for Exceeding Limits by 15mph
| State | Cost |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $290 |
| Florida | $254 |
| Arizona | $251 |
| Texas | $245 |
| California | $234 |
| New York | $230 |
| Georgia | $223 |
| North Carolina | $218 |
| Rhode Island | $205 |
| Mississippi | $197 |
Most Expensive States: Fines for Exceeding Limits by 40mph
| State | Cost |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $2,500 |
| New York | $1,150 |
| Nevada | $620 |
| Utah | $570 |
| Maryland | $530 |
| California | $486 |
| Oregon | $440 |
| Wisconsin | $439 |
| New Hampshire | $434 |
| Georgia | $420 |
Conversely, these are the states with the lowest fees for exceeding speed limits by the same successive margins.
Least Expensive States: Fines for Exceeding Limits by 10mph
| State | Cost |
|---|---|
| Nebraska | $25 |
| New Mexico | $25 |
| Montana | $40 |
| North Dakota | $40 |
| Washington | $43 |
| District of Columbia | $50 |
| New Hampshire | $62 |
| Georgia | $84 |
| Maryland | $90 |
| Idaho | $90 |
Least Expensive States: Fines for Exceeding Limits by 15mph
| State | Cost |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | $30 |
| North Dakota | $45 |
| Washington | $58 |
| Montana | $70 |
| Nebraska | $75 |
| Maryland | $90 |
| Idaho | $90 |
| New Hampshire | $93 |
| District of Columbia | $100 |
| Missouri | $103 |
Least Expensive States: Fines for Exceeding Limits by 40mph
| State | Cost |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $115 |
| Idaho | $155 |
| Washington | $158 |
| Louisiana | $176 |
| Ohio | $178 |
| Tennessee | $181 |
| Missouri | $188 |
| Indiana | $191 |
| Alabama | $198 |
| New Mexico | $200 |
There’s plenty of consistency across all three ‘least expensive’ lists, with North Dakota, New Mexico, Idaho and Washington ranking across all speeding fine thresholds. Interestingly, both North Dakota and New Mexico also feature on the list of states imposing the least traffic enforcements.
For a full balance across all metrics, let’s now consider the states featuring the most and least speeding fatalities. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Texas, which features the highest number of traffic enforcements and high speeding penalties, also features the highest number of deaths by speeding.
The same can be said of California, which is also subject to high traffic case numbers, high ticket fines and high fatality numbers. (The likes of Florida and New York also feature the same consistent pattern, while Pennsylvania, present on the top ranking enforcement list, is in third place for speeding fatalities.)
Georgia, notably high on the list of traffic cases, high speeding fine states, and a high year-on-year rise in enforcement, falls outside the top ten, suggesting that other states feature comparatively elevated danger levels.
One significant factor may be Georgia’s ‘Super Speeder Law’, which means a $200 penalty for any driver convicted of speeding above 75mph on any two-lane road, or above 85mph on multiple lane roads anywhere in the state.
States with the Most Speeding Fatalities 2014-2023
| State | Speeding Fatalities |
|---|---|
| Texas | 12,659 |
| California | 12,081 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,828 |
| North Carolina | 4,815 |
| Illinois | 4,224 |
| South Carolina | 4,184 |
| Missouri | 3,517 |
| Arizona | 3,456 |
| New York | 3,397 |
| Florida | 3,228 |
The list of states featuring the lowest number of speeding fatalities suggests that North Dakota (fifth on the list) is vindicated for imposing relatively modest speeding fines; its high placing on the ‘least enforcements’ list augments this notion.
Nebraska, notable for low speeding fines, also features low fatality numbers. In such cases other deterrents, or native driver culture, may be effective at keeping driving speeds relatively low.
State with the Least Speeding Fatalities 2014-2023: Source FARS
| State | Speeding Fatalities |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 144 |
| Vermont | 229 |
| Rhode Island | 274 |
| Alaska | 278 |
| North Dakota | 316 |
| South Dakota | 363 |
| Delaware | 401 |
| Nebraska | 406 |
| Wyoming | 450 |
| Maine | 463 |
Some Key Speeding Issues
Beyond state penalties for being caught exceeding speed limits, there are other factors for U.S. drivers to consider.
The average monthly full-coverage car insurance premium for a driver with a clean record is $203. Yet by earning a speeding ticket, a driver immediately faces a monthly average payment hike of around 22%.
Despite this and other significant deterrents, over 30% of Americans have been caught in a speed trap. Perhaps even worse: over 30% of Americans continue speeding even after being penalized for it.
In many cases, speeding ticket accruals are key parts of smaller locale’s budget, with some small towns (such as Anacoco, Louisiana, and Linndale, Ohio) raising over 90% of their budget from fines and fees. At a larger scale, fines and fees comprise no more than 0.3% of a state’s revenue, although the sums are often significant, with New York raising over $1 billion annually from fines and fees.
The fines and fees in question often place those charged in financial difficulty. Our analysis of 2024 WBNS data reveals that only 5% of adults charged with a fine or fee were consulted by court or government staff as to whether they could afford to cover the penalty. Clearly, in many cases, fines and fees are attributed without any consideration of income or savings.
Speeding in Georgia and Across the United States
Every year in the U.S., thousands of people die during accidents due to cars being driven over their state speed limits. And with over 40 million speeding tickets issued and millions of drivers pulled over during traffic stops every year, it’s clear that speeding is a significant national problem.
States with the highest levels of speeding enforcement (especially Texas, followed by New Jersey and California) also tend to feature:
- High population density
- High speed limits
- Heavy reliance on automated enforcement or municipal traffic courts
- A historically aggressive traffic enforcement culture
Enforcement disparities between states are widening, with high-enforcement states increasing pressure on drivers, while low-enforcement states with comparatively healthy figures stabilize their efforts.
Over 30% of Americans continue speeding even after being penalized for it
Georgia’s disproportionate place in the traffic enforcement top ten (sixth) is due to a number of factors. They include aggressive enforcement patrols, multiple high-speed corridors, and significant urban congestion on local highways.
Georgia state courts processed more than 13.5 million traffic cases during the study period — more than in Michigan, Ohio, New York, Illinois, and every other Southeastern state.
And Georgia’s traffic caseload grew 11.5% between 2020 and 2024, signaling a considerable rise in enforcement intensity, primarily due to increases in speeding, as well as failure-to-yield, and registration-related violations.
For uninsured or underinsured drivers, Georgia’s enforcement intensity significantly increases the financial and legal risks associated with high-speed corridors and commuter routes. Such deterrents are clearly needed to bring the state down the enforcement cases table.
It may be the case that relatively severe penalties in Georgia for exceeding speed limits by 15 and 40mph (and its ‘Super-Speeder Law’ $200 tariff) have kept the state off the top-ranking speeding fatalities table.
Yet its high traffic caseload figures may in turn be due to the state’s high ranking among those offering the lowest penalties for exceeding the limit by 10mph. Getting the balance right between speed deterrence, safety and fair penalties is not easy, and it’s something most states – including Georgia – must persistently confront.
Our team of attorneys at Bader Law Injury Lawyers will handle your case with the utmost integrity and determination. When you work with us, we will keep you informed about the status of your case and ensure that it gets the time and attention it deserves. Contact us today for more information.
Methodology
The primary data used in this study was taken from state-reported incoming traffic case volumes (2020–2024). Traffic caseloads are a consistent national indicator of enforcement volume, given the absence of any specific national speeding-ticket data sources.
Court Tiers
States report traffic cases by using three structures.
- Single-tier systems, which involve all traffic cases filed into one court (for example, California, Minnesota, D.C.).
- Two separate two-tier systems.
- General Jurisdiction Courts (serious offenses)
- Limited Jurisdiction Courts (routine tickets)
In each case, all tiers were combined to calculate a state’s total volume. An exception was Wyoming, for which only limited jurisdiction court data was used, due to the fact that, in this case, that particular tier handles all traffic filings.
Inclusion Rules
We included a state based on one criteria: if it could be represented with at least one complete set of court tier data over the five study years in question (2020–2024). This means states with only partial reporting structures are still eligible for the dataset.
The Illinois Imputation Rule
Illinois’ 2023 value was missing. Yet, rather than exclude the state, we imputed its value by using the median of all available years.
(Available data:
- 2024: 1,654,859
- 2022: 1,459,782
- 2021: 1,676,570
- 2020: 1,657,966
- Median = 1,656,413.)
This method is statistically neutral and means Illinois’ comparability retains integrity.
Calculations
- 5-Year Total: the sum of all available tiers across all five years
- Ranking: Sorted by largest total case numbers (Texas → smallest)
Limitations
- Traffic caseloads don’t represent the total number of tickets issued (some never reach court).
- Some states rely heavily on automated enforcement systems.
- Court closures and backlogs during COVID-19 affected early-year numbers.
States Not Included Due to Limited Data
The following states did not feature any court tier with complete five–year data, so they were not included.
- 1. Hawaii
- No 2024 and 2023 values for both General and Limited tiers
- 2. Kansas
- No usable data in any tier
- All fields missing
- 3. Mississippi
- No usable data in any tier
- All fields missing
- 4. North Carolina
- General tier missing 2024 and 2023
- Limited tier missing 2024 and 2023
- In the case of both tiers, neither had full 5-year data
- 5. Oklahoma
- No usable data in any tier
- All fields missing
- 6. South Dakota
- General tier missing 2024, 2023 and 2022
- Limited tier missing all years
- No complete tier
- 7. Tennessee
- No data entered in any tier
- 8. Virginia
- No data entered in any tier
- 9. Washington
- No data entered for General or Limited
- Completely blank rows
- 10. Wisconsin
- 11. West Virginia
- 12. Vermont
This dataset represents the most complete, national-level traffic enforcement comparison available.
