Arizona ranks as the second toughest state on speeding

Arizona may not have laws against texting and driving, but when it comes to cracking down on dangerous drivers, Arizona is at the top.

Linda Gorman with Triple-A of Arizona said that is important, because speed kills.

“If you look at 2014 for example, we had over 20,000 speed-related crashes and 239 deaths as a result of speeding,” Gorman said. “Or excessive speeding was a factor or they were speeding too fast for the conditions.”

According to WalletHub, no other state offers stiffer fines for a reckless offense at $2500, and only one state gives more jail time for a second offense than Arizona’s 20 days. Overall, WalletHub ranks Arizona as the second toughest state on speeding behind Colorado. Texas is most lenient.

Criminal speeding tickets can be issued when a driver exceeds 85 miles an hour or 35 miles an hour near a school crossing when those signs are out. Gorman said cops across the state have done a great job cracking down on speeders.

“It is a major factor in most collisions,” Gorman said. “In fact, it’s the most common driver violation that we see.”

And while there is no jail time or license suspension for a first offense, you can get the 20 days behind bars for a second offense and 6.5 points toward a suspension, both among the toughest in the U.S.