(April 1) -- On the road, there's one more thing to hate about the recession.
USA Today reports that drivers are more likely to get a speeding ticket in the poor economy, as states and cities use traffic enforcement to boost their depleted budgets.
And now that five to 10 mph "speeding cushion," a buffer much appreciated by motorists, may be a thing of the past. James Baxter, president of the National Motorists Association, said drivers are more likely to get a ticket for traveling just a little over the speed limit during a recession, compared with better economic times.
"Most people, if they're stopped now, are getting a ticket even if it's only a minor violation of a few miles per hour," Baxter told USA Today.
Last year, The Journal of Law and Economics looked at speeding violations in North Carolina and found that tickets rise along with local budget shortfalls. "Specifically, a one percentage point decrease in last year's local government revenue results in roughly a 0.32 percentage point increase in the number of traffic tickets in the following year," the authors wrote in their study. "There is ample anecdotal evidence that local governments use traffic tickets as a means of generating revenue."
Another study, from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, found that a 6.4 percent increase in speeding tickets in the state was likely related to a 10 percent decrease in revenue growth the previous year.
The USA Today report found that a number of cities and states are using speeding tickets to make up for slim budgets. But some experts say the opposite may actually be true. The chairman of the National Troopers Coalition, Sgt. Michael Edes, said enforcement may actually be down because budget shortfalls leave fewer troopers on the road.
"A lot of states have cut [trooper] positions or frozen positions," he told USA Today. "Several states have grounded their aviation unit, so they're not doing as many speed details."
To be safe, though, it may be a good idea to assume that there's a "zero tolerance" policy at work. So Vanity Fair has compiled a list of helpful tips for drivers looking to avoid a speeding ticket.
First on the list? "Move yourself to a place where you don't have to drive to begin with," the magazine suggests. "New York City is nice, and our governor isn't that much more pathetic than most."
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/speeding-cushion-vanishes-in-face-of-budget-crunch/19422996
Be careful this may or may not affect your area, but i wouldn't want to find out.I can sleep better at night knowing we're well invested in radar detector technology
USA Today reports that drivers are more likely to get a speeding ticket in the poor economy, as states and cities use traffic enforcement to boost their depleted budgets.
And now that five to 10 mph "speeding cushion," a buffer much appreciated by motorists, may be a thing of the past. James Baxter, president of the National Motorists Association, said drivers are more likely to get a ticket for traveling just a little over the speed limit during a recession, compared with better economic times.
"Most people, if they're stopped now, are getting a ticket even if it's only a minor violation of a few miles per hour," Baxter told USA Today.
Last year, The Journal of Law and Economics looked at speeding violations in North Carolina and found that tickets rise along with local budget shortfalls. "Specifically, a one percentage point decrease in last year's local government revenue results in roughly a 0.32 percentage point increase in the number of traffic tickets in the following year," the authors wrote in their study. "There is ample anecdotal evidence that local governments use traffic tickets as a means of generating revenue."
Another study, from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, found that a 6.4 percent increase in speeding tickets in the state was likely related to a 10 percent decrease in revenue growth the previous year.
The USA Today report found that a number of cities and states are using speeding tickets to make up for slim budgets. But some experts say the opposite may actually be true. The chairman of the National Troopers Coalition, Sgt. Michael Edes, said enforcement may actually be down because budget shortfalls leave fewer troopers on the road.
"A lot of states have cut [trooper] positions or frozen positions," he told USA Today. "Several states have grounded their aviation unit, so they're not doing as many speed details."
To be safe, though, it may be a good idea to assume that there's a "zero tolerance" policy at work. So Vanity Fair has compiled a list of helpful tips for drivers looking to avoid a speeding ticket.
First on the list? "Move yourself to a place where you don't have to drive to begin with," the magazine suggests. "New York City is nice, and our governor isn't that much more pathetic than most."
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/speeding-cushion-vanishes-in-face-of-budget-crunch/19422996
Be careful this may or may not affect your area, but i wouldn't want to find out.I can sleep better at night knowing we're well invested in radar detector technology
