The Top Speeding Ticket Excuses

Have you ever been pulled over for speeding? What excuse did you give to try to get out of it? Whatever it was, you’re probably not alone. Recently, 1,000 drivers were surveyed to discover the most common speeding ticket excuses. Here’s what they found.

Top Successful Speeding Ticket Excuses

These are the most common excuses respondents gave when successfully avoiding a speeding ticket, according to a survey by CarInsurance.com.

• 26% claim they didn’t realize they were speeding.
• 21% say they are late for work.
• 25% tell police there is a medical emergency.
• 20% say they have to use the bathroom.
• 14% say they didn’t see a speed limit sign.
• 22% remark that they were going as fast as everyone else.
• 15% blame being late to pick up or drop off a child.
• 13% remarked that they were late for a doctor’s appointment.
• 13% said they were late for a court appointment.

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Men vs. Women

When it comes to safe driving habits, it appears women reign supreme. 42% of women say they’ve never been stopped for speeding or haven’t in about 10 years, compared to just 15% of men.

The most common excuse for speeding for both men and women was that they did not realize they were speeding.

Speeding Habits

According to the survey, 52% of drivers acknowledge exceeding the speed limit by 5-10 mph, while 4% admit to driving 16 to 29 mph over the speed limit. Another 3% of people admit driving more than 30 mph over the limit.

Other speeding habits include:

• 31% said they speed, but it’s rare.
• 34% said they almost always speed but only between 5 and 10 mph over the limit.
• 64% said it’s OK to speed on the highway.
• 8% said they’re OK with speeding on residential streets.

So, what is the reason behind speeding? Drivers had various explanations: 17% said they speed to arrive on time, 10% said speed limits are generally too low and 8% claimed it’s safe to speed as long as it’s less than 20 mph above the speed limit.

Everyone hopes to just get a warning from the police rather than a ticket. If the survey is correct, asking for leniency often works. The survey revealed that 48% of drivers requested a warning didn’t offer an excuse and got the warning, while 29% of respondents still got a ticket after asking for a warning without giving an excuse. Women are less likely to request a warning: 20% of women have never asked for a warning, compared to 52% of men.

Safety First

Speeding significantly increases the likeliness and severity of a crash. According to the latest stats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding killed 12,330 people in 2021.

AAA implores all motorists to drive cautiously and within the speed limit. This is even more crucial when driving in hazardous conditions or past emergency vehicles.

Not only is speeding dangerous, it can also hurt your wallet. You’ll have to pay the fine, plus your car insurance will likely increase.

If you do get ticketed for speeding, completing the AAA Defensive Driving Course can qualify you for an insurance discount and license point reduction in certain states. It’s also a great way to brush up on your driving skills.

Tell us your best speeding ticket excuse in the comments!