A recent study reveals new data that shows how the type of car you drive can increase your chances of getting a traffic ticket. This research, performed over the period of one year, supports the claim that what you drive can determine how you drive.
In an effort to help insurance companies identify risks, this study found that people who drive Hummer SUVs are 4.63 times more likely to be issued a traffic citation than the average driver on the road. The study was organized by ISO Quality Planning from San Francisco who reviewed a total of 1.7 million drivers’ records. Some obvious numbers concluded that the 507 horsepower Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG received an inordinate amount of traffic tickets, as did younger drivers of the moderately priced Scion series and the Audi A4 sports sedan.
Some highly ticketed surprises included the Subaru Outback, Toyota Camry Solara and Toyota Matrix. These cars are not exactly known to target the fast and furious market of speed seeking drivers. On the other hand, some vehicles with similar mechanical DNA as the Hummer ticket-magnets like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban ended up in the least-ticketed group of vehicles. Other types of cars that rarely receive citations include minivans, Buicks and pickups.
The information gathered about the Hummers was especially interesting. After sales dropped 51% last year, ISO Quality Planning was willing to draw some conclusions about characteristics of Hummer owners:
"The sense of power that Hummer drivers derive from their vehicle may be directly correlated with the number of violations they incur," said Raj Bhat, president of ISO Quality Planning. "Or perhaps Hummer drivers, by virtue of their driving position, are less likely to notice road hazards, signs, pedestrians and other drivers."
Insurance companies usually use these findings as a guideline to adjust premiums accordingly for drivers who own Hummers and Scion brand automobiles. Higher probability of getting a ticket easily translates into higher collision and liability insurance rates.
Source: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourCar/which-drivers-get-the-most-tickets.aspx?GT1=33004
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