Hot Rod? Cars Most Likely to be Cited for Speeding

On behalf of Robinette Legal Group, PLLC

Traveling down the highway in the family mini-van won’t attract much attention from the police, but try driving in a Mercedes Benz. And not just any Mercedes, but the SL-class convertible.

According to a recent study by Verisk Analytics, the driver of any Mercedes SL-class car is four times as likely to get a speeding ticket as the average driver. The Mercedes convertible, CLS Sedan and CLK Sedan all made the top 10 in the list of vehicles that are most likely to get ticketed. Mercedes was joined by several other manufacturers, including Acura, Pontiac, Volkswagen and Toyota, which produce performance cars police know are built for speed.

The Toyota Camry-Solara coupe, for instance, ranks second, with a driver receiving a ticket nearly 350 percent more often than the average. The Pontiac Grand Prix sedan and Acura Integra coupe are also among those with inflated percentages of speeding tickets.

Police are familiar with the cars since many are advertised for their speed. And the drivers don’t disappoint, according to the study, piling up thousands more tickets than average. Perhaps most surprising is the age of the drivers, which mostly is in the 40s and 50s. One explanation is that older drivers have the deep pockets to buy the expensive cars, but also seem to have the heavy foot to go with it.

The study was conducted over 12 months, and the higher percentage of tickets is attributed to both the higher speeds by the drivers and vigilance by police, who today are very familiar with high-performance vehicles.

Whether it’s a Mercedes or a Buick, dangerous driving speeds more frequently lead to car accidents, wrongful death, and fatalities. If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident because of a speeding or reckless driver, contact an experienced car accident attorney to discuss your rights. Depending on the other driver’s misconduct, you may not only have a claim for compensatory damages, but a punitive damages claim based on the driver’s reckless behavior, as well.