Illinois sees plunge in speeding tickets issued by troopers

SPRINGFIELD — The number of speeding tickets issued in Illinois has plunged since 2010, while the number of roadway fatalities has ticked up.

The Springfield State Journal-Register reports the number of speeding tickets Illinois State Police issue dropped 40 percent since 2010, when about 210,000 tickets were issued. Troopers issued about 127,000 tickets in 2015.

Meanwhile, roadway fatalities have increased, most notably over the last two years, though there’s no definitive proof the two statistics are closely tied.

Experts say there could be several reasons for the trends. The speed limit on many Illinois interstates increased 5 mph to 70 mph. Distracted drivers using cellphones could contribute to fatalities. And some experts say anecdotal accounts suggest state police are not patrolling for speeders as much.