The number of citations for speeding in excess of 100mph has nearly doubled in California since the state enacted a stay-at-home order during the coronavirus pandemic. The maximum speed limit in the state of California is 70-mph.
Highway Patrol officers issued 2,493 tickets to motorists stopped for driving over 100-mph for the month that followed the March 19 order, according to the latest figures released by the California Highway Patrol. That represents a huge increase of 87% over the previous year when 1,335 tickets were issued.
Even worse, is that during that same period, traffic on the roads has decreased by 35%, according to figures from Caltrans.
According to the LA Times, one guy in a Chevrolet Camaro was clocked doing 165-mph. Caltrans and CHP have collaborated on a campaign urging motorists to slow down and resist the temptation to drive dangerous speeds during lighter traffic on the highways as the world waits out the pandemic’s end.
Fewer cars on the road doesn’t give drivers the green light to travel over the speed limit. Driving at a safe speed when you must go out is one way to keep you and your family safe during this pandemic.
– OTS Director Barbara Rooney said in the release.
To combat the increasing trend in speeding, Caltrans will begin displaying safety messages on its more than 700 electronic signs on the state’s highways.
Officers in Utah are also seeing a similar situation. Easter weekend was the deadliest on Utah’s roads since 2013, despite the traffic volume being down 65%.
Maybe people are speeding (and being caught) *because* the roads are empty? Plenty of people certainly drive like they never learned where their speedometer is.
Personally, I was thinking it might be refreshing to just go for a nice drive and not worry about getting anywhere fast.