Strictest and most lenient states on speeding, reckless driving

By Alina Comoreanu
WalletHub

(July 22, 2015) Speed kills. We have all been told that since driver’s education class, and yet America drivers routinely exceed the speed limit. Before you underestimate the danger of exceeding the speed limit, consider that in 2013, speeding was a factor in 29 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths. Speeding is costly, too.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that the annual economic cost to society of speeding-related crashes is $40.4 billion.

Another important issue is the impact of speeding on fuel consumption. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), as a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph will cost you 7 percent more for gasoline.

Some states are tougher on speeding and reckless drivers than others. To find out which states take the hardest line on dangerous driving behavior, WalletHub compared driving laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The results are found below.