Survey ranks Delaware as strictest state for speeding and reckless driving

Nearly everyone who has driven on Del. 1 and other state highways has experienced speeders at one time or another, while some have even witnessed motorists driving recklessly.

For those of you who think Delaware law enforcement goes easy on those drivers, think again.

According to a WalletHub survey, Delaware is the strictest state for speeding and reckless driving.

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WalletHub analyzed penalties for speeding and reckless driving in each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia across 12 key metrics and came up with the strictest and most lenient, according to a release. 

The top five strictest states are Delaware, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and California. The most lenient states are Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Jersey and Nebraska.

In 2016, speeding was a factor in 27 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths, according to the release. 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.

To find out which states take the hardest line on dangerous driving behavior, WalletHub conducted an analysis based on data ranging from what speeds are automatically considered reckless driving to how many speeding tickets it takes to earn an automatic license suspension.

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For speeding, WalletHub considered seven categories, including whether or not speeding is automatically considered reckless driving, the type of speed limit and how much speeding tickets count toward a suspension, to name a few.

For reckless driving, the category worth the most points toward the total score was whether reckless driving constituted an automatic license suspension. Other categories considered maximum fines, the number of reckless driving convictions and jail time.

Delaware had a total score of 20 points and ranked No. 1 in reckless driving penalties and No. 8 in speeding penalties. Colorado was next with 18 points. Virginia ranked No. 1 in speeding enforcement.

In Delaware, if you accumulate 14 points against your license for speeding or reckless driving, your license is suspended for four months, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. If you accumulate 22 points, your license is suspended for a year.

If you accumulate eight points, the DMV will send you a warning letter; if you accumulate 12 points, you must complete a behavior modification/attitudinal-driving course at the court's and DMV's discretion and usually within 90 days of the DMV notifying you.

Reach Jerry Smith at jsmith17@delawareonline.com. follow him on Twitter at @JerrySmithTNJ.

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