These 5 Car Brands Have the Most Speeding Tickets in 2022

Everyone has their own taste in the kind of car they drive, and drivers who are more likely to speed prefer these five auto brands.

Every year, a few car manufacturers tend to be the most popular with American drivers. In 2022, Honda, Toyota, and Ford are the three most widespread automobile brands on the road, and each of these manufacturers has a reputation for quality and affordability that appeals to a broad audience.^[1] Some drivers, however, go against the grain and opt for other manufacturers. For example, it’s easy to imagine outdoorsy Americans gravitating toward Jeep and eco-conscious (and financially unconstrained) motorists opting for Tesla. These days, there’s a car out there to match every driver’s preference.

As it turns out, drivers who are more likely to speed have a unique taste in vehicles, too. Curious to see which car manufacturers are most preferred by drivers with speeding on their records, the research team at Insurify turned to their dataset of over 4.6 million car insurance applications to identify the five automotive brands with the most speeding tickets in 2022.

• National averages. In 2022, an average of 9.36% of drivers across the U.S. have at least one speeding violation on record. The average selling price of a new car is also $47,077 according to Kelley Blue Book.^[2]
• Sports cars top the list. Perhaps it’s not surprising, but drivers that speed the most prefer performance-oriented auto manufacturers. The top five brands with the most speeding tickets include Audi, Infiniti, and Saab — all known for producing high-end, high-horsepower vehicles — as well as Scion and Volkswagen, which both offer models that pack a similar punch at a lower price point. Together, 10.59% of drivers of these five brands report a speeding violation on record, a share that’s 13% higher than the national average.
• Which car brand speeds the least? Drivers of Fiat cars are the most law-abiding motorists when it comes to vehicle speed. Just 7.09% of Fiat drivers have a speeding ticket on record, a share that’s 24% lower than the national average. While many of the brand’s models, like the 500X, have a fun and sporty feel, Fiat cars are not exactly performance vehicles, and their drivers have no issue keeping them under control on the road.

To determine the car makes with the most speeding tickets, the data science team at Insurify, an auto insurance comparison platform, referred to its database of over 4.6 million car insurance applications.

To apply for car insurance, drivers disclose information such as the car they drive and their recent driving history, including past violations on their driving record. Insurify’s data science team calculated the proportion of drivers with one or more speeding citations on record for each car brand and identified the top five car brands with the highest share of drivers with speeding tickets. For each of these five car brands, they also determined the car model with the highest share of speeding tickets and the car model with the lowest share of speeding tickets. These car models were designated the “worst offender” and the “best-behaved,” respectively.

The findings in this article represent statistical trends found in Insurify’s analysis of over 4.6 million car insurance applications. The findings of this study are not meant to imply the direction nor necessarily the existence of a causal relationship. Rather, this is a presentation of statistical correlations of public interest.

5. Audi

• Share of Audi drivers with a speeding violation: 10.02% (7% greater than the national average)
• The worst offender: Audi S4 (20.87% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)
• The best-behaved: Audi Q7 (5.06% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)

Audi is one of the world’s most popular luxury and performance auto manufacturers, with a history steeped in racing success. On the open road, however, Audi drivers are a little too eager to race, as they rack up speeding citations 7% faster than the average driver. The 349-horsepower Audi S4 has the speediest drivers, a whopping 20.87% of whom have a speeding ticket on record. This rate is more than double the brand’s average of 10.02%. Audi Q7 drivers, meanwhile, accrue tickets about half as often as the average Audi owner.

4. Saab

• Share of Saab drivers with a speeding violation: 10.42% (11% greater than the national average)
• The worst offender: Saab 9-3 (11.22% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)
• The best-behaved: Saab 9-5 (8.97% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)

Though Saab stopped producing automobiles a decade ago, its loyal drivers still make their presence known on the road. 10.42% of Saab drivers report a prior speeding violation on record, a proportion that’s 11% higher than the national average. Saab drivers who accrue the most speeding tickets prefer the sporty Saab 9-3, while the brand’s best-behaved motorists command the larger, smooth-driving Saab 9-5.

3. Volkswagen

• Share of Volkswagen drivers with a speeding violation: 10.66% (14% greater than the national average)
• The worst offender: Volkswagen Golf GTI (13.58% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)
• The best-behaved: Volkswagen Atlas (6.75% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)

Though Volkswagen has a reputation for producing reliable, everyman vehicles like the Jetta, the brand’s drivers belie this image: VW owners are more likely to have a speeding citation on record than almost anyone else on the road. 10.66% of Volkswagen motorists have been ticketed for speeding, led by owners of the performance-forward Golf GTI. GTI drivers rack up speeding violations a whopping 45% more often than the average driver. On the other hand, the Volkswagen Atlas, a family-oriented SUV, has drivers who are 28% less likely to report a speeding violation than the typical U.S. motorist.

2. Infiniti

• Share of Infiniti drivers with a speeding violation: 10.75% (15% greater than the national average)
• The worst offender: Infiniti G37 (13.38% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)
• The best-behaved: Infiniti QX50 (5.49% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)

When it comes to marrying a sporty ride with luxurious amenities, Infiniti’s vehicles are some of the best options around. Some Infiniti owners, however, have gotten too comfortable with their ride’s power, as 10.75% of the brand’s drivers report a prior speeding citation. Infiniti G37 motorists are the most speed prone, while QX50 drivers go against the brand’s trend, getting cited for speeding over 40% less often than the typical American motorist.

1. Scion

• Share of Scion drivers with a speeding violation: 11.05% (18% greater than the national average)
• The worst offender: Scion FR-S (16.83% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)
• The best-behaved: Scion xA (7.81% of drivers reporting a speeding ticket on record)

The Scion brand no longer produces vehicles in the U.S., but its cars combine speed, style, and affordability in a way that appeals to many drivers looking to spice up their daily commute. Yet it’s not all fun and games with Scion, as the manufacturer’s drivers are more likely to report a speeding ticket than drivers of any other car brand. Overall, 11.05% of Scion drivers have a prior speeding citation on record, and this share spikes to 16.83% for owners of the Scion FR-S, an entry-level road racer. Meanwhile, drivers of the humble xA — a compact city commuter — are less likely to receive a speeding ticket than the average American motorist.

If you have any questions or comments about this article or would like to request the data, please contact insights@insurify.com.