10 Most Ticketed Cars on U.S. Roads

• Eric Schaal

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Everyone knows a red Ferrari convertible attracts attention from the highway patrol. Pricey speed demons have a certain disadvantage when it comes to moving violations, but their high cost also rules out the young and the reckless — the class of driver known to take the most risks. Believe it or not, you can’t find Mustang, Challenger, or Camaro in the top 20 of most-ticketed automobiles, according to data analyzed by Insurance.com. What’s more, the frumpy Toyota Prius is ticketed more often than a Corvette.
Using over 550,000 requests for insurance quotes over the course of a year, Insurance.com put together a list of the cars whose drivers reported getting the most tickets over the previous three years. In the muscle car capital of the world, this list skews, cheap, sporty, and foreign, but there are a few wild cards in the mix. Compared to the 19.9% of all drivers who reported getting a ticket, these cars attracted tickets in 28% to 33% of the situations.
Here are the 10 most-ticketed cars on U.S. roads.
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Source: Mazda

10. Mazda2

Like the Ford Focus and VW Golf, the Mazda2 has a reputation as a car worth the aftermarket treatment. Cops are aware of this fact as well. In the huge sample size, 28.1% of 2014 Mazda2 drivers had reported violations, about 8% higher than the average car. Numerous offenders had speeding and racing convictions under their belt, which sent insurance premiums skyrocketing. Probably the biggest factor in the Mazda2’s ticket total is its base price. At $14,720, there are many young drivers behind their wheels.
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Source: Toyota

9. Toyota FJ Cruiser

Perhaps the unusual color combination on the Toyota FJ Cruiser makes it stand out from the automaker’s other models. Whatever the reason, 28.4% of drivers of these sport utility vehicles have found themselves with a ticket in hand in recent years. Another Toyota that didn’t make the top 10 but was notable on the most ticketed list was the Prius, which locked down 20th place with 27% of owners getting tickets. That was more often than the triumvirate of American muscle cars.

8. Scion tC

The compact sport coupe is a recurring style on the list of most ticketed cars on U.S. roads. With a base price under $20K and a reputation for performance, it is no wonder 28.8% of Scion tC drivers reported getting a ticket recently when shopping for a new insurance package. It will hardly come as a surprise that Insurance.com listed speeding as one of the recurring violations for owners of this Scion model.
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7. Mercury Topaz

The Mercury Topaz (and its sibling the Ford Tempo) have been out of production since 1994, but a large volume of these rides are still on the street and getting hit with tickets for violations of all sorts. Because liability coverage is all that is necessary for these vintage auto specimen, locking up a cheap rate for a Topaz is possible. Of those who were looking for a price quote, 28.8% had reported being ticketed in the previous three years in the sample of over 550,000 drivers.
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6. Volkswagen Rabbit

The Volkswagen Golf has been sold under the Rabbit nameplate for several generations of the vehicle, the most recent of which was released in 2004. As drivers of the Golf GTI will attest, these cars are favorites of the aftermarket set for their responsiveness and lightweight body. Even the base 2015 Golf starts below $18K, so expect the new version to stay in the top 10 in ticketed cars for years to come. Speeding was a common infraction among the 29.6% of Rabbit drivers who had been pulled over in recent years.
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Source: Subaru

5. Subaru Tribeca

The Tribeca sold so poorly for Subaru that the automaker stopped producing the SUV in 2014. Of the vehicles that are actually on the road, drivers are racking up tickets at a prodigious pace. Insurance.com data showed 29.7% of Tribeca drivers receiving tickets in the three years up to the 2014 study. Though the volumes are surely lower than many other cars on this list, the Tribeca’s rate of ticketing is the highest in the utility vehicle segment.
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Source: Flickr/Chalkie_CC

4. Toyota Supra

Insurance.com reported citations for driving without insurance popping up for Supra owners, but it is safe to say speeding is the pastime of choice for this enthusiast’s favorite. The Mark IV, which was the last generation Supra built from 1993 to 2002, led the pack for this performance model. Overall, 30.8% of Supra drivers said they had been ticketed in recent years when shopping for a new rate.
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Source: Scion

3. Scion FR-S

The Scion FR-S is always popping up on lists of hot performance cars around $25K, so there is no mystery as to why it broke the top three in most ticketed vehicles on U.S. roads. Almost one third (32.6%) of FR-S drivers had been cited for some type of violation over the previous three years in the Insurance.com study, which sent premiums skyrocketing for a driver with multiple speeding tickets.
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2. Pontiac GTO

Like the Topaz and Supra, the Pontiac GTO may have ended its production run long ago but still reels in a high number of tickets. A robust 32.7% of GTO owners had received a citation over the previous three years. As one of the original American muscle cars, the GTO holds a unique place on the most ticketed list, but this last generation was an import from GM’s Australian subsidiary, Holden. Standard hood scoops and 350 horsepower would explain its high position among this group.
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Source: Subaru

1. Subaru WRX

Always on the list of best performance cars under $40K, the Subaru Impreza WRX is built for speed. It usually tops the list of cars ripe for aftermarket upgrades as well. The combination of racing stock and low price point makes it a magnet for tickets, and 33.6% of WRX drivers reported they had been cited in the three years prior to shopping for insurance quotes. WRX STI performance variants featuring 305 horsepower likely have even higher ticketing rates. It’s safe to say cops have this car on their radar.

 

Surprised by these findings

 

Hi Tadd, so was I I thought that the Corvette, Camaro's/Mustangs would be on that list..

I did add the Monte Carlo as a Joke

 

I am surprised by a few of them, the rabbit is one, but when you think about it, the majority of younger drivers can't afford the high price sports cars, but can afford the cheaper sports cars, as well as older sports cars. It is true, most people that will shell out the money for a ferrari, generally won't abuse it or drive it too fast as they have too much money invested in it, but a used car is affordable for younger people. It would have been nice to know the age range of the people getting the tickets in the vehicles

 

The Topaz really made me laugh seeing it get lots of tickets because they are basically falling apart. That would make sense though. The wrx being #1 does not surprise me though. A lot of college kids have them and they speed around in them.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ohara
. It would have been nice to know the age range of the people getting the tickets in the vehicles

• [*]

Have you ever wondered if men or women are more likely to get a ticket? Or if speeding tickets are given out more often in certain parts of the U.S.? We certainly have, so we polled more than 850 people from across the country to find out who’s racking up the most traffic tickets and where. Though our sample is relatively small, it still gave us some pretty interesting insight into what’s going on behind the wheel.
Our results suggest that gender and geography both play a role. For instance, we found that men are 13 percent more likely than women to receive speeding tickets. We also found that speeding tickets are more prevalent in Florida than New York.
This infographic highlights some of the most interesting finds from our survey, including the state you’re most likely to get a parking ticket in and the different ways men and women try to get out of tickets (don’t try this at home).
We know you’re too responsible to get a traffic ticket yourself. But if you’re an Esurance policyholder and curious about how a ticket might impact your premium, try our What If® Calculator. With this interactive tool, you can find out how certain “hypotheticals,” like accidents, changing vehicles, moving across the state, and yes, tickets, could influence your rate. Just log into your policy and click on the “Policy Info” tab to access the calculator.
The What If Calculator is a hypothetical estimation tool. To make any policy updates, including reportable claims, please contact Esurance. We store your information for easy retrieval of your estimate and to support investigation of potentially fraudulent activity.

 

Surprised mustangs didn't make that list.

 

Hi 'Habbibie, I was surprised that you & your car didn't make that list > LOL >

 

If I had one of those top 4 cars I'd be ticketed also...

 

Meh, I blend in with traffic I think. I do drive the same route daily I know where all the speed traps are by now.