CHP sees spike in 100-mph speeding tickets amid coronavirus shutdown

LOS ANGELES -- With more people staying at home due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, many California highways have seen less traffic, heightening concern that some drivers are taking advantage of the empty roads.

Now, new numbers from the California Highway Patrol finds a big spike in citations for speeding.

According to preliminary data from the CHP's traffic records system, 4,000 citations for speeding over 100 mph were issued from March 19 to April 30. That's a 113% increase compared to last year. Combined with the month of May, the number of citations increases to more than 6,000.

CHP: 87% increase in tickets to drivers going more than 100 mph amid COVID-19 shutdown


That data also found the number of crashes in the state has declined about 75% from the same period last year, and there was an 88% reduction in the number of people killed.

The number of people injured in crashes also dropped by 62%.