Michigan Drivers Getting Away with Speeding and Recklessness Too Often

New Report Shows Michigan’s Drivers Are Getting Away with Speeding and Recklessness Too Often

A new report by personal finance website, WalletHub, reviewed 2018’s Strictest and Most Lenient States on Speeding and Reckless Driving. Michigan landed in the 13^th most lenient of all U.S. states for risky driving and driving too fast, not something to be proud of as these poor driver behaviors remain to be major influences behind deadly crashes.

The group first gathered data on penalties for speeding and reckless driving across 12 key metrics and then measured each state against each other. The findings concluded that although Michiganders may not be hit with the maximum fines for speeding as other states, they sure do get away with it, leaving them on the road speeding and making bad choices more often as well. Here’s a quick look at how Michigan drivers measured up in the new report:

Speeding and Reckless Driving Penalties in Michigan

10^th: Minimum Jail Time (first reckless offense)
13^th: Minimum Jail Time (second reckless offense)
20^th: How Much Do Speeding Ticket Points Count Toward a Suspension
26^th: Speeding Automatically Considered Reckless Driving
36^th: Maximum Fine (second reckless offense)
49^th: Average Increase in Cost of Insurance After One Speeding Ticket

*(1=Strictest; 25=Avg.)

Clashing with numbers provided from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these findings are interesting to consider as Michigan has long been ranked as a good driver state in several of the major driving categories including courteous driving.

Fatal Crash Reports Show Speed and Recklessness Are to Blame

In 2017, NHTSA findings showed 14 percent of fatal crashes involved drivers not wearing seat belts, 27 percent of fatal crashes involved drunk drivers, and 27 percent of fatal crashes involved speeding. Michigan drivers continue to also score low in the careless or distracted driving category. AAA reports that nearly 95 percent of residents say that texting while driving was their number one concern when asked about reckless driving choices. Violating Michigan’s texting while driving laws can be costly. Operators who violate any Michigan motor vehicle law can be charged with careless driving and face paying hefty. Drivers are putting themselves and others at risk for serious injury or even a motor vehicle fatality when they choose to speed or drive recklessly. Obey speed limits and practice good driver responsibility to avoid a crash.

Do you speed? How about do you forget to put your seatbelt on, or in hopes to arrive to a destination sooner, you zoom through a red light? What type of driver are you and can you slow down?

The Lee Steinberg Law Firm Can Handle Your Accident Injury Claim

If you or a family member is a victim of an accident caused by a reckless or speeding driver, be sure to speak seek out the qualified advice of a car accident attorney prior to discussing the accident with an insurance company. The Lee Steinberg Law Firm, P.C., has been representing accident victims for over 40 years and we can help you through this difficult time.