As of March 2009, the Ohio State Patrol has issued 7,829 citations for aggressive speeding statewide, according to Lt. Tony Bradshaw, spokesperson for Ohio State Patrol.
Bradshaw said a speeder must be going at least 20 mph more than the speed limit to qualify for an aggressive speeding citation.
In 2008, there were a total of 74,507 aggressive speeding citations in Ohio, averaging about 1,552 tickets per week. National averages are not available since aggressive speeding citations are not used nationwide, and tickets are issued differently varying state to state.
There were a total of 1,589 aggressive speeding tickets in Butler County in 2008, according to Ohio State Patrol Sgt. Darrin Blosser. The 2009 numbers for Butler County are not yet available since they are released quarterly, Blosser said.
According to records released from the city of Oxford courthouse, Oxford police issued 163 speeding tickets in Oxford in 2008.
Living in Oxford with several roads with speed limits of 25 mph or less, Miami University sophomore Joe Shannon said he rarely pays attention to low speed limits.
"Most of the time I don't even notice when I'm speeding, but sometimes when I'm in a hurry I'll be more likely to speed," Shannon said.
Sgt. Jim Squance of OPD said only in residential areas is the speed limit as low as 25 mph, and it can be even lower in alleyways, which are typically 15 mph.
Other than the fact there are several low speed limit zones and 45 mph isn't hard to reach, Bradshaw said the more likely reason for so many speeders is that people just "aren't paying attention" or are more concerned with "where they have to be" than the safety of themselves and those around them.
Blossier said speeding ticket costs vary from court to court. In Oxford, Squance said ticket costs are based on a mile-per-dollar rate.
"It goes by miles," Squance said. "(The ticket costs) a dollar per mile (more than the speed limit) up to a certain point, then it increases."
Bradshaw said the Ohio State Patrol is trying to bring the already high numbers down by a variety of methods. The most effective way of changing people's attitudes toward speeding are through education programs in schools and through stricter enforcement, he said.
Since Oxford's numbers are also already "very heavy" in 2009, Squance said OPD is being fairly strict with traffic violations.
Shannon said a costly speeding ticket probably won't stop him from realizing he is speeding.
"Is the sky blue? Yes," Shannon said when asked if he would speed again.
