Speeding has consequences. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety points out science-backed risks. These include reduced time to respond to obstacles, increased distance for effective braking, and a greater chance of losing control. Even if you aren’t in an accident, speeding is a gamble.
Legal Consequences
Penalties for speeding vary by state, but the U.S. Department of Justice reports nearly half of states consider homicide by vehicle a felony. Additionally, 17 states categorize specific offenses as infractions, opening the door to a barred cell. In many states, like North Carolina, speeding tickets can lead to fines, increased insurance rates and losing your license. Repeat offenses escalate penalties, and in some states, just three tickets in a year can lead to jail time.
Health Risks
When speed increases, so does force. If two drivers hit the same guardrail, and one is speeding while the other follows traffic laws, the first is less likely to walk away without severe injury. Nature shared a report in 2024 showcasing the effect of higher speeds on accident casualty rates. The report revealed roughly 17% higher risk of serious injury to speeding drivers in an accident. A life-changing injury isn’t the worst possible outcome.
The National Safety Council reported speeding was at least partially responsible for the deaths of roughly 33 people a day in 2022. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shared that nearly a third of all traffic-related deaths involved speeding in 2023. It’s hard – and dangerous – to ignore the numbers. Speeding doesn’t just increase your risk of an accident, but it increases the chances you’ll never reach your destination.
Financial Impact
Speeding tickets typically come attached to fines, and in most states, the more often you’re cited, the more you pay.
Accidents are expensive, especially if you’re at fault, and according to Car and Driver, your speed may factor into insurance claims. Being on the hook for the damage to your car and your body is bad enough, but if you’re injured, you’re more likely to take time off work, reducing your income as your expenses spike.
Insurers will remember your accident, too. Even if you don’t have a collision, insurance companies take speeding tickets into account when setting individual premiums. You’ll pay for a ticket over and over, every time your insurance bill comes due. NerdWallet found insurance companies add up to $761 to a driver’s annual rate after a speeding offense.
Collateral Damage
The person behind the wheel doesn’t always face the consequences of their actions alone. The financial and emotional strain of caring for a disabled loved one often falls on partners, family, and friends. According to a study released by the National Disability Institute in partnership with Stonybrook University and the University of Tennessee, median-income households with a disabled individual need more than $17,000 a year more than comparable households without a disabled individual just to offset additional costs.
Consider who else would pay if you suffer a significant injury. Would a loved one need to leave school to support the household’s immediate needs? What projects, dreams, and ambitions would the people you love have to sacrifice?
The costliest consequence, however, is loss of life. Unless stated otherwise, all statistics in this article reflect the total of major injuries and deaths involved in speeding-related accidents. Not all casualties are speeding drivers. Speeding increases the chances you’ll kill someone, and as horrific as ending a stranger’s life would be, the victim could be your passenger. Even if you bear the responsibility, you can’t be sure you’ll be the only one to suffer the fallout.
Article Last Updated: April 29, 2025.
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