Texas Roads Are Mighty Friendly... to Speeders, a New Report Shows

As hard as it may be to believe if you've been radar-gunned in Olmos Park or Castle Hills, Texas is the most lenient state when it comes to dealing with speeders and reckless drivers, according to new research.

Personal-finance website WalletHub ranked the 50 states and the District of Columbia on 12 factors, ranging from what speeds are automatically considered reckless driving to how many tickets it takes to get your license yanked. Texas ranked at the absolute bottom in speeding enforcement and near the bottom for penalties imposed on reckless drivers.

If that still sounds wrong, consider how harshly other states deal with speeders. Three-quarters of states have “absolute” speed limits, which means exceeding the limit by a single mile per hour is good enough for a conviction. And many states' fines aren't just a few hundred bucks but a knockout blow to your wallet — the average reckless driving ticket in Oregon, for example, will set you back $6,250.

If you've got a lead foot, this may come as great news. In fact, you may be planning to put down your cell phone and challenge your next door neighbor to a drag race right fucking now.

But before you do, consider the downside. In 2016, speeding was a factor in more than a quarter of motor vehicle crash deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also estimates that the annual economic cost to society of speeding-related crashes is $40.4 billion.

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