How Speeding Tickets Keep You Alive

Posted by Ashley Mills
2
Feb 26, 2016
313 Views


For most drivers, speeding tickets feel like the bane of their existence. It's a hefty fine, a blot on their driving record, and all, they think, for such a small offense. Why all of this fuss over going just a few miles over the limit? However, the simple truth is that those annoying speeding tickets are saving lives and keeping everyone--including the recently-ticketed speeder--safe.

According to ABC News, researchers discovered that giving a speeding offender a traffic ticket produces a very tangible result: it lowers the odds of him being involved in a fatal accident by 35%. The reason why is relatively simple--having been recently scolded and financially punished, the driver is, for a time, much more cautious about his driving. Unfortunately, this does not mean that the offender has learned his lesson for a lifetime. In fact, this decrease in the odds of being involved in a lethal accident shoots back up to its pre-ticket levels after three or four months. The solution to this is so simple that it's already happening: traffic cops and mechanical proxies such as speed cameras must be continuously used to monitor offenders and ticket them accordingly. By continuously reducing the odds of so many individuals being in fatal accidents--accidents which also threaten the lives of other drivers--speeding tickets prove their value time and again.

Many drivers often complain of "speed traps"--areas in which they and other drivers seem to receive a disproportionate amount of tickets. The implication is that police have somehow misled drivers and are waiting to pounce on unsuspecting speeders. However, there's a very straightforward flip side to this logic: according to Police Chief Magazine, police are constantly collecting data to determine the areas in cities in which the most crashes and other accidents occur. Strictly patrolling these areas and handing out tickets to offenders is not a matter of preying on helpless drivers. Rather, it's to instill the same fear-induced caution that reduces the chance of a lethal traffic accident.

Of all of the relatively recent innovations in enforcing speed limits, the most complained about is the increased use of traffic enforcement cameras. From a police perspective, one of the primary issues with previous methods of speed detection and control was the human element--there's only so many police officers and way too much road. This can lead to the kind of inconsistent speed detection that boosts the confidence of individuals who would otherwise be more cautious. Enter the traffic enforcement camera: with these installed at major intersections, the police can now receive information about any speeders and sent a ticket directly to their door. Some bemoan the ethics of such ticketing, but the truth is that this method of ticketing also directly saves lives. According to a 2011 study cited by StreetsBlog USA, large cities that used these traffic enforcement cameras reduced fatal collissions from drivers running red lights by 24%. The study went on to speculate that if such cameras were made mandatory in all 99 cities with populations over 200,00 during the same four year time frame they observed, 815 lives could have been saved.

One final, blunt point about the lives devastated by traffic accidents is that while traffic accidents caused by careless, speeding drivers often kill innocent people, families must shoulder the burden of caring for survivors. As ABC News notes, many survivors require care for decades after the accident--expensive and ongoing medical care. In the face of lifelong and potentially crippling medical debt, the truth is that the occasional speeding ticket is no problem. And for many, the worst thing about a speeding ticket is the effect it has on insurance costs, and that can be mitigated through voluntary traffic school.

Remember - traffic school, or defensive driving courses are available to you if you’ve received a moving traffic violation or want to earn a discount on your car insurance. If you’ve received a traffic ticket, your state’s county traffic court may allow you to complete traffic school to dismiss the citation and avoid having points added to your driving record. If you decide to enroll in traffic school voluntarily, your car insurance provider may award you with a safe driver discount. There's nothing to lose by checking it out--and potentially everything to lose by speeding!
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