White cars don’t get the most tickets because their drivers are more aggressive or irresponsible. White is the most popular car color, so these vehicles generate more tickets than less common car colors. Police also give more tickets to men, young drivers, drivers of color, and people driving sporty cars.

This doesn’t mean that you’re sure to get a ticket driving a white car, or that anyone in a conservative blue minivan is safe from traffic violations. Anyone who drives recklessly or fails to obey speed limits can get a ticket, and even a minor violation can drive up your

car insurance

premium.

Car insurance comparison and broker app

Jerry

has the tools you need to find affordable car insurance, no matter the color of your ride. In this article, Jerry explains why some colors, makes, and drivers get more tickets than others—and how to avoid them and keep your rate low.

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What color of car gets the most tickets?

In the United States,

white cars get more tickets than any other car color

. That’s not because white car drivers are unusually reckless—white cars get more tickets because there are more of them on the road! According to Kelley Blue Book, white cars are

, from SUVs and minivans to luxury sedans.

The most ticketed car color might be about more than statistics, though. In

a recent study

to determine which car colors get the most tickets, red was the second most pulled over car color, despite ranking much lower than white in overall popularity.

This finding might give some credence to the urban legend that says red cars get pulled over more often because they’re perceived as more aggressive than other vehicles. Or, it might reflect the personality of drivers who choose red cars over more understated colors.

Key Takeaway White cars get more tickets than any other color of car because they make up the biggest percentage of cars on the road.

MORE: How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record?

Do make and model matter?

Not only do some colors of car get more tickets than others, but there are also discrepancies between the number of tickets given to certain makes and models.

A study published by Forbes in 2016

found that the

Lexus ES 300

, the

Nissan 350Z

, and the

Dodge Charger SE

SXT

were the three most likely cars to get pulled over. Sporty Mazdas and

Subarus

were among the other most frequently ticketed cars.

By contrast, the

Buick Encore

and the

Lexus IS 350

each made up just 3% of ticketed cars. It makes sense: bigger sedans and SUVs targeted towards families tend to receive fewer tickets than fast cars geared towards younger drivers.

Once again, driver psychology counts more than statistics. Your car won’t attract law enforcement attention just because it’s built for speed—but if you choose your car based on its speed and power, you’re probably more likely to push the limits and earn yourself a speeding ticket.

Key Takeaway SUVs and sports cars designed for younger drivers tend to get more tickets than more sedate vehicles marketed towards families.

MORE: How to get cheap car insurance for young drivers

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Who gets pulled over most often?

It’s not just the type of car that affects the frequency of tickets—it’s who’s behind the wheel.

Demographic studies have shown that men are more likely to be pulled over than women. According to

one study from the Federal Trade Commission

, 63.4% of all traffic tickets in the US in 2005 were given to men.

Young drivers also tend to get more tickets, which is why insurance companies set higher premiums based on age.

A 2017 study in St. Paul, Minnesota

showed that one-third of all speeding tickets were issued to drivers between the ages of 16 and 25.

Recent research has demonstrated that race also plays a role in the frequency of traffic stops. In 2019,

a Stanford University study of almost 100 million traffic stops

revealed that Black drivers are about 20% more likely to be pulled over than white drivers.

Studies suggest that

unconscious bias

can influence how frequently police issue tickets based on demographics, but driver experience also plays a role. Younger drivers are more likely to commit traffic violations because they aren’t as familiar with the rules of the road or because they have less experience dealing with difficult driving situations.

MORE:

The traffic tickets that have the greatest effect on your car insurance rates

How to avoid a ticket

Don’t let your car color or your demographics become a self-fulfilling prophecy. You can maintain a clean driving record by staying off your phone, using your headlights and turn signals appropriately, and staying calm on the road.

To improve your driving skills and avoid unwanted tickets, you can even take a

defensive driving course

Avoiding tickets won’t just save you a legal hassle and a nasty fine—you’ll also save money on car insurance by keeping your record clean!

MORE:

14 safe driving tips

How to find cheap car insurance

Even if you have a white

Lexus ES 300

with a lot of tickets, you can find affordable

car insurance

with the Jerry app.

Comparison shopping with Jerry is painless and fast. In the time it takes to download the app and answer a few questions, you could be set up with a new low rate from one of the top companies in your area!

To make things even easier, Jerry handles all the paperwork for your new policy—plus helps you cancel your old one. And did we mention that the average Jerry user saves $879 per year on their car insurance?

“I have a really bad record, so all of my previous insurance quotes were pretty high. I started using
Jerry
and the fantastic app saved me $130 a month on my insurance.” —Jett A.

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