National Motorists Association ranks states most hostile to drivers
For as long as there has been traffic enforcement, drivers from different states have gathered to compare notes on whose police and legal systems are the most oppressive and toughest to deal with. While most such conversations rarely progress beyond the anecdotal, the folks over at the National Motorists Association have actually gone to the trouble of ranking all 50 states using a set of seventeen criteria, just in time to adjust your travel plans ahead of this weekend's Memorial Day holiday.
The list was compiled by weighing such factors as 'Speed Traps Per Capita," the use of speed and red-light cameras, as well as legal factors like the presence of mayor's courts, the availability of trial-by-declaration, and so on.
We're not sure we agree with each of the criterion (e.g. singling out whether cellular phone use is legal), but it's a very interesting list all the same, and might give you some fuel for the inevitable water cooler discussion following your next moving violation.
Click on the jump to see the full list of factors and where your stomping grounds stack up among the least motorist-friendly states in the nation. Hot tip, Frank!
[Source: National Motorists Association, Source Photo by bradleygee | CC2.0]
PRESS RELEASE:
State Rankings - Memorial Day Weekend 2009
With the first major driving holiday of the summer season approaching, we have analyzed the laws across the country to determine the best and the worst states when it comes to exploiting the motoring public.
These state rankings were calculated using seventeen criteria related to specific traffic laws, enforcement practices, and the treatment of traffic ticket defendants. The rankings are designed to provide guidance to travelers who do not want their vacation ruined by speed traps, arcane laws or "kangaroo" traffic courts.
Full List Of State Rankings From Worst To Best
1) New Jersey
2) Ohio
3) Maryland
4) Louisiana
5) New York
6) Illinois
7) Delaware
8) Virginia
9) Washington
10) Massachusetts
11) Colorado
12) Oregon
13) Tennessee
14) California
15) Michigan
16) Vermont
17) Maine
18) Florida
19) Pennsylvania
20) North Carolina
21) Alabama
22) Rhode Island
23) West Virginia
24) New Hampshire
25) Arizona
26) New Mexico
27) Missouri
28) Texas
29) Oklahoma
30) Nevada
31) Georgia
32) Connecticut
33) South Carolina
34) Iowa
35) Hawaii
36) Arkansas
37) Alaska
38) Kansas
39) Mississippi
40) Wisconsin
41) Utah
42) South Dakota
43) Indiana
44) Minnesota
45) North Dakota
46) Kentucky
47) Nebraska
48) Montana
49) Idaho
50) Wyoming
List of Criteria Used To Generate Rankings (no particular order)
1) Speed Traps Per Capita (# of speed traps listed on www.speedtrap.org indexed to population)
2) Does the state have "driver responsibility" fees?
3) Does the state have mayor's courts?
4) Does the state authorize the use of roadblocks?
5) What are the freeway speed limits?
6) Does the state have red-light cameras?
7) Does the state have speed cameras?
8) Are there toll roads in the state?
9) Is a jury trial available for traffic violations?
10) Is trial by declaration (asserting a defense in writing without appearing in court) available?
11) Is the state a member of the Non-Resident Violator Compact?
12) Is the state a member of the Driver's License Compact?
13) Are radar detectors banned in the state?
14) Does the state have a primary seat belt law?
15) Are there adult helmet laws in the state?
16) Are there move-over laws in the state?
17) Is cell phone use banned?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Quantumphysics 7:37PM (5/21/2009)
The Moffia is still in New Jersey.
Its so bad they won't even let you pump your own gas.
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mikemaj82 7:50PM (5/21/2009)
damn right. I don't need to be getting out of my car late at night or in the pouring rain.
GT 9:45PM (5/21/2009)
Knowing Michigan Roads and how confusing they are (detroit especially) with 15 foot potholes, I'm surprised that they didn't come first. Next time they should add criteria like condition of roads and how confusing they are.
TRL 9:37AM (5/22/2009)
The worst part about the crazy no pump your own gas thing is how much time it wastes. I live in PA and drive to NY on the NJ Turnpike frequently. I occasionally have screwed up and forgot to gas up before leaving PA. Pulling into a Turnpike Rest stop for gas on any weekend will add a good hour to your trip. They typically have two guys that can't figure out a credit card machine trying to handle a few hundred cars an hour. The lines are 20 - 30 cars deep at all pumps.
arturo 7:40PM (5/21/2009)
Just be happy you are not in New Jersey? The guy was still getting pull over regardless but I get the point.
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Joshua 11:59PM (5/21/2009)
In Cook County (Chicago), Illinois, they take your license for ANY violation and keep it until you pay your fine!
I just got a ticket for not having my seatbelt on - $55 - and they kept my out-of-state license!
Terrible system.
k.w.a 8:16AM (5/22/2009)
they did the same thing to me in Michigan! i was like like "huh??!" when the cop not only ticketed me for doing 48 in a 40 on a 3 lane road with no traffic, but also took my out-of -state license until i paid it off. You'd think they'd have bigger fish to fry at 3am on a Saturday night in Detroit....
Pennsylvania so far has the best system, to me at least. they usually give me a "citatation" as opposed to a "ticket" (moving violation that affects your car insurance) and they let me pay off the citation in increments--and I get to pick the amount to pay per month!
epilonious 8:56AM (5/22/2009)
One of the nice things about most motorship clubs (like AAA) is that they give you bail bond certificates that allow you to surrender your membership card instead of your license.
I'm not sure if it works in every state, but I've heard of people getting pulled for speeding in Iowa using it (despite the officer being whiney about it) because they were seeing friends and didn't want to lose their state-ID because they were going clubbing/drinking.
BoxerFanatic 10:43AM (5/22/2009)
@Epilonious,
If you have your license pulled in Iowa, it is because you were doing something BAD. They don't automatically pull your license for just anything.
They don't pull your license here until you are doing 20+ over the limit, or driving under the influence, or street racing... significant stuff.
If they were getting their license pulled, perhaps they shouldn't have been going "clubbing", or shouldn't have just come from there...
Now side-window tint bullcrap in Iowa is another matter.... Heaven forbid I want to keep my black interior cooler when my car sits out in the concrete jungle every work-day, and take it a little easier on my eyesight.
That evidently is a 15$ non-moving violation ticket with a ~60$!!! court administration fee. I thought I already paid the court to do it's job... through my damn taxes. And hassling me about my window tint is NOT supposed to be their job.
JZeke 1:48PM (5/22/2009)
to Joshua:
Your story about Chicago police just freaked me out (since I live in the city and work in the burbs) so I did some digging and found this discussion on Chicago's (broken) traffic laws:
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/archive/t-554934.html
Turns out they also accept cash in lieu of your ID, as well a AAA card. Its so freakin' lame they'd bother taking an out-of-state ID though.
Now im currently in VA for the holiday weekend, another winner of a driving state. I miss Cali and Florida now.
sk7m 7:43PM (5/21/2009)
Ohio sucks!
I'm about to lose my license
Have 4 speeding tickets.. whoopty doooooo they have traps everywhere in columbus
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rndmnme 8:14PM (5/21/2009)
Yes, and you're an idiot because they are always in the same damn place.
You didn't figure that out the first 3 times?
alexanbd 8:29PM (5/21/2009)
Lived in Ohio most of my life, just moved from Columbus to Cincinnati last year. Now I drive from Cincinnati to Dayton on a daily basis (up and down I-75). I also make frequent trips up I-71 to Cleveland and back.
I have zero tickets on my record. I don't think I am lucky, you just have to pay attention to your surroundings. Look for the little white cars or tiny men on the shoulders.
Foose1397 8:50PM (5/21/2009)
All you have to do is keep your eyes peeled, and you shouldn't get a ticket. But 71 and 75 are bad....
I think Ohio's bad cuz i know from experience that most of us love to travel to dayton, columbus, and cincinnati in the shortest possible times. Hate to watch corn fields go by, its boring.
Richard 10:50PM (5/21/2009)
I lived in Ohio for...most of my first 35 years. I used to blast from Cleveburg to Cowlumbus down 71 lickety split (I remember running an Escort and having - like - 5 cars following its leds. Always a GTI driver in the group, but they're pretty much ball less a-holes who can't lead).
I used to think that Route 250 Through Wooster, New Phili was one of the best roads in the nation. It probably still is.
Owe a ticked in Barberton from last T'Giving when I went home from RI to see my dad who is sick. 95 in a 65. But the guy was cool about it and I had to get to my dad. I think he figured that out when I told him to just hand over the ticket and get the hell out of the way.
So - OH - East side thereof is OK. What happens in Lima, Toledo and out there, hell that's Ohindiana.
Who'se your daddy (Hoosier Daddy)?
dclamster 11:46PM (5/21/2009)
Yes...Ohio sucks. Not only are the police EVERYWHERE, but the drivers are either obnoxious assholes or oblivious idiots...especially here in Columbus. I mean, honestly...if you are not going the at least the speed limit (preferably 5 over), get out of the left lane and let me pass. And stop pulling out in front of me.
Acefighter 12:05AM (5/22/2009)
Ah, you're one of those idiots that it's someone ELSES fault you were caught speeding.
Maybe if you loose your license it'll teach you something. Getting four tickets clearly didn't.
PhattyDre16 12:37AM (5/22/2009)
Anybody living in Michigan that takes the 80/90 turnpike to Cleveland already knows this. Ohio will tear you a new one with speeding tickets.
It's like a Laser light show everytime I drive down the turnpike, my Beltronics Radar/Laser detector gets a good work out every time.
Britsarenotfunny 7:45PM (5/21/2009)
Please... I've been in New Jersey and NY and their cops are cool guys next to Toronto cops. Toronto cops are the assholes of assholes.
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Tom 7:59PM (5/21/2009)
Remember this is for the United States..... Not Canada