States with the Highest CDL Speeding Fines

By: Adam H. Rosenblum Esq. | Date Published: 12/15/22

Speeding was a contributing factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2020, according to the NHTSA. That same year, large trucks contributed to 10% of all fatal vehicle accidents (4,014 deaths). When you combine large trucks and speeding, it’s not surprising that serious injury or death are likely outcomes, particularly for occupants of the smaller vehicles involved. In fact, 74% of large truck accidents are attributed to crashes involving tractor-trailers. It’s not surprising then that all 50 states have specific laws against speeding by CDL drivers, though some state laws are more strict than others.

Steepest Potential Fines 

All state laws have a range of fines for speeding, and they can vary significantly. If you’re caught driving a truck over the posted speed limit in Arizona, for example, fines range anywhere from zero dollars up to $2,500. In fact, the Grand Canyon state had the broadest range in fines. Similarly, the fines in Illinois span from a mere $75 to a hefty $2,500, making it the state with the second-largest dollar range. 

For our initial ranking, we first considered the highest possible fine. If two or more states topped out at the same dollar amount (like Arizona and Illinois), we then factored in the low end of their fine ranges. Evaluated in this way, Illinois earned the top spot and Arizona ranked second.

Rounding out the top 10 for highest potential fines for a first speeding offense over 15 mph are (in order) Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Connecticut, Maryland, California, Hawaii, and Utah. The fines in Colorado and Nevada max out at $1,000, while the next three state’s may levy top potential fines of $625 (Iowa), $560 (Connecticut), and $530 (Maryland).  California, Hawaii, and Utah all top out at $500, but each have a different minimum fine amount.

Highest Low-End Fines

In addition to studying fine maximums, we also wanted to know which states have the highest minimum fines. In other words, even though a CDL driver who is speeding might not get hit with a state’s top fine, where will it cost them the most in terms of a mandatory minimum fine?

We found that 13 states have a minimum fine of over $100 for CDL drivers who exceed the speed limit. The top three are California ($230), Florida ($219), and Hawaii ($200). The states of Connecticut, Alabama, Texas, and Ohio rank 4th through 7th in this category, with minimum fines of $198, $190, $185, and $175, respectively. Speeding in both Indiana and Utah will cost a CDL driver at least $150. Completing the list of 13 are Oregon and Colorado (both $115) Tennessee ($109), and Washington ($108).

Methodology

TrafficTickets.com analyzed nationwide data for CDL drivers who were speeding 15+ mph over the limit to determine which states mete out the costliest penalties and which are more reasonable. Our experts looked at the maximum possible fines one might pay, as well as the steepest minimum fines for CDL drivers who are caught exceeding the limit by at least 15 mph.

CDL Speeding Ticket Fine Data

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