Drivers have nowhere to go in California, but they’re going nowhere very fast.
The state has been under a stay-at-home order since March 19. Since that order went into effect, speeding tickets for drivers who exceeded 100 miles per hour nearly doubled, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities noted that citations for drivers exceeding 100 mph were up 87% as traffic otherwise plummeted by 35% because of the stay-at-home order. The fastest driver snagged by police was cited for driving 165 mph.
Between March 19 and April 19, the California Highway Patrol issued 2,493 citations to lead-food drivers, compared to 1,335 citations during the same time frame in 2019. In a statement, California Office of Traffic Safety Director Toks Omishakin urged drivers to slow down.
“Excessive speed and unsafe driving threaten everyone using our highway system,” Omishakin explained. “Viewing less congested roads as an invitation to drive dangerously jeopardizes the safety of construction and maintenance crews who are working to maintain reliable access to our highways when people need it most.”
Highway Patrol Commissioner Warren Stanley agreed with Omishakin’s remarks, saying, “It is alarming to see the number of citations officers are writing for excessive speeds on California roadways.”
“Higher speeds can lead to much more serious injuries and significantly increase the chance of death should a crash occur,” Stanley added. “Keep yourself and those on the road around you safe. Slow down and drive at a safe, legal speed.”
In response to the uptick in citations, the state will be posting messages on electronic signs throughout the state that read: “If you must travel, do not speed” and “Keep essential workers safe, do not speed.”
Each year, 2 million people are injured, and more than 32,000 people die in auto accidents in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Thursday, nearly 38,000 people in California had tested positive for COVID-19, and 1,440 people in the state had died since contracting the virus.
