According to the Los Angeles Times, a driver who receives a traffic ticket is 35% less likely to die in a car crash within the next four months.
It's logical, if you think about it. After getting a ticket, you get cautious and don't want to get busted again. A ticket's expensive, plus your insurance might go up. And if you get too many tickets, you can lose your driver's license.
So, recently-ticketed drivers are more likely to obey the law. 60% of all tickets involve speeding. And fatigue, distraction, aggression and speeding are believed to cause the majority of roadway fatalities. But according to a study done by Stanford University, one life is saved for every 80 thousand tickets written.
And interestingly enough, the drop in fatalities after getting a ticket is consistent among all demographic groups, young and old, men and women, rich and poor.
So the next time you get a ticket just think, that cop may have just saved your life.