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Popular belief has maintained that police love to pull over drivers with red cars more than other vehicles. However, using data from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, Hotcars.com also found that the cops associate most moving violations with speed demons.

Reports indicate that U.S. citizens receive up to 34 million speeding tickets every year.

Aside from the high speeds, the highway patrol also looks out for cars with conspicuous features and misguided behavior. Traffic officers can flag you down for a couple of reasons including:

  • Passing vehicles on the freeway
  • Leading the way
  • Cutting off other drivers
  • Weaving through lanes
  • Driving for attention
  • Using a model that is prone to getting tickets

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety took time to classify cars that raise eyebrows among police. Take a look at a surprising vehicle that you are more likely to get pulled over while driving.

Subaru WRX

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With a host of rally-inspired technology features, this Subaru WRX leads the way as far as ticket awards are concerned. It is a high-performance car, as the WRX (World Rally Cross) designation indicates. You get 268 hp and handling that gives many more expensive cars a run for their money.

Race car drivers who can’t purchase a Ferrari or Porshe often choose this all-wheel drive car. It earned and kept its place among the best-performing cars under $40,000. The police are well aware of this fact and are often on alert when they notice an approaching Subaru WRX.

Its stiffened suspensions guarantee the car’s stability. This can lure you to step on the gas, especially with low traffic. Chances that you’ll exceed speed limits are high. The highway patrol will easily track your high speeds and pull you over at the next checkpoint.

A turbocharged four-cylinder engine power the Subaru WRX. The 268 hp from the engine will do little to help you keep within the speed limitations. A 27 MPG rating on the highway further fuels a driver’s desire to speed up in the WRX.

At 33.6%, the STI performance model has the most number of drivers with violations. This undesirable stat ensures that the WRX is among the top vehicles to attract the attention of the police.

Which other cars should you watch out for?

The report also identified the Lexus ES300, Pontiac GTO, and SCION FR-S among the most ticketed cars. With 33.4%, 32.6%, and 32.6% of the owners receiving tickets, these cars are easy targets for the cops.

In 2016, Toyota introduced a more aggressive front end to the Lexus 300 that traffic officers can easily pick out. The luxury car has been in production over the last six years and has remained distinguished among other luxury cars.

The other end of the scale revealed that the Infiniti QX30 and Toyota Prius C have the fewest tickets. Only 27.1% and 21% of the car owners got citations from the cops. You may quickly get away with minor offenses and are less likely to have police flag you down given the reputation of these two models.

Other reasons you may be more likely to get pulled over

The type of car you drive may influence whether or not the cops are likely to pull you over. It is also important to remember that different states define traffic violations and speeding laws in different ways. Watch out for speed bumps, red lights, and stop signs to keep yourself free from tickets.

In spite of its poor ticketing stats, the turbocharged WRX offers a great throttle response time, among other impressive features, that far outweigh the bad. Subaru WRX drivers should, however, be on guard as they enjoy the ride downtown. Cops are more attentive as they notice you drive by.