Traffic jams, road rage and speeding plague all the nation's highways, but some states have taken a tougher stance than others when it comes to bad drivers.
With average highway speeds much higher than back when the national highway speed limit was 55, some states are cracking down on speeding and other traffic violations.
Safety concerns are not the only reason to slow down on the road: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, every 5 mph driven over 60 mph drives up fuel costs by 7 percent.
WallettHub looked at enforcement data for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., including speeding penalties, cost of insurance after tickets, use of automatic speed cameras, reckless driving fines and jail time for convictions, to find out which states had the toughest penalties against bad drivers.
These are the strictest states, in ascending order, based on the data:
8. (Tie) Washington
Speeding enforcement came in at No. 8. Reckless driving results in maximum fines for the first and second conviction.
8. (Tie) Alabama
The state ranked seventh for reckless driving penalties, with five to 90 days in jail and/or $25 to $500 in fines. Speeding enforcement came in at No. 19.
8. (Tie) Virginia
The state ranked No. 1 for speeding enforcement. The state came in at No. 25 for reckless ticket penalties.
8. (Tie) Illinois
If convicted of reckless driving, expect to pay one of the highest maximum fines, even if it is your first offense.
7. North Carolina
Speeding ranked at No. 5 and reckless driving enforcement at No. 12. Drivers will face additional cost of insurance after one speeding ticket in the state.
6. Oregon
Reckless driving can cost $6,250 for a ticket in Oregon. The state was ranked eighth in speeding enforcement.
5. California
The Golden State ranked fourth for reckless penalties and No. 11 spot for speeding. Drivers will face additional insurance costs for speeding after just one ticket.
3. (Tie) New Mexico
The state ranked at No. 7 for reckless driving.
3. (Tie) Arizona
Speeding enforcement in the state was ranked at No. 2. Reckless penalties ranked at No. 7. Arizona has some of the highest maximum fines for the second reckless convictions, with six months in jail and a maximum $2,500 in fines.
2. Colorado
The state came in second overall in reckless driving tickets. Expect to spend 10 to 90 days in jail and/or pay $150 to $300 in fines for the first reckless offense in Colorado. Speeding enforcement ranked at No.11.
1. Delaware
With the strictest overall ranking, Delaware also ranked highest in reckless penalties. In speeding enforcement, the state ranked at No. 8. According to drivinglaws.org, the first reckless offense results in 10 to 30 days in jail and/or $100 to $300 in fines.
The full report can be viewed here.
