The only thing worse than flashing blue lights in your rearview mirror is the cost of the speeding ticket. Some states, such as Virginia, allow you to take a remedial driver education class to negate a speeding ticket and keep it off your driving record if you meet certain criteria. Even so, you’ll still be paying for it.

Which states have lower ticket fees? And in which states should you really avoid speeding?

States with the lowest speeding ticket costs

Yahoo Finance recently reported on the costs of speeding tickets around the United States. Though most of us haven’t done a lot of traveling in 2020 because of the pandemic, once we’re past the danger, many of us will likely get out and hit the road. As Yahoo Finance mentioned, if you plan to go on a road trip, it’s not a bad idea to know the costs of speeding fines in the states along your route. If the unthinkable happens, you’ll have an idea of what you’re in for.

Keep in mind that while some states have minimum speeding ticket fines that are lower than a tank of gas, the impact on your insurance may still be expensive. It will depend on how fast you were going and how that state handles driving points, records, and insurance reporting. Here are some states with the lowest fines:

Oklahoma: $20 Fine

The minimum speeding fine is $20. If you’re going 20 mph or less over the posted limit, the most you’ll pay is $35. If, however, you get clocked going over 35 mph, you might find yourself slapped with a fine of more than $200.

Alabama: $20 Fine

The minimum speeding fine is $20 for going 25 mph or less over the speed limit. If you’re going faster than that, it’ll be $40.

New Mexico: $30 Fine

If you’re not exceeding the speeding limit by much, expect to pay a minimum of $30. Keep in mind in New Mexico that you can pay as much as $200 depending on the infraction.

States with the highest speeding ticket costs

When it comes to high speeding fines, hold on to your hat. Well, if you drive fast enough to get these fines, there’s a good chance you’re doing that anyway. The states with the highest fines include the following:

New York: $300 Fine

For your first speeding fine in New York, the cost ranges from $90 to $600 according to Yahoo Finance. If you’re clocked going 11 to 30 mph over the posted limit, the maximum is $300.

Mississippi: $300 Fine

Many people will tell you that Mississippi can’t be beaten when it comes to the cost of living. But don’t speed there. Your first ticket will be assessed a fine from $150 to $300. After that, it’s $300.

Alaska: $300 Fine

The scenic, wide-open spaces in Alaska can easily have you enjoying a cruise. Just don’t lose track of your speed. First-time speeding fines are a maximum of $300.

Nevada: $1,000 Fine

Nevada is not the place to gamble with your driving speed. The maximum fine for even a first ticket can total four digits. Nevada’s fines are more than triple the other 49 states.

Methodology

The data originated from GOBankingRates, which studied the cost of speeding in each state from GoCompare.com’s Harsher Penalties 2018 study. The study first evaluated the cost of common moving and traffic violations in all the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries to find out which had the biggest fines.

They evaluated the cost of a speeding ticket assessed for driving 13 mph over the posted speed limit for first-time offenders, with no additional fees, and ranked the cost per state. The base fine wasn’t available for all U.S. states, and where that was true, the maximum fine was used instead. Actual fines can vary with the addition of fees and court or county costs. A speeding fine for driving more than 13 mph over the posted limit and the driver’s individual record could increase fines beyond those reported.