It’s one of the worst feelings when you’re behind the wheel, seeing those flashing blue lights in your rearview mirror and knowing they are for you.
We wanted to find out where troopers pull over the most people in Massachusetts, so we obtained data for 127,106 traffic stops for speeding in 2023 through a public records request with the Massachusetts State Police.
88 percent of the traffic stops resulted in a ticket. 15,038 of the stops--around 12 percent--ended with a verbal warning, according to the data.
Here are the top five hot spots where you might want to slow down:
- Route 3 in Plymouth: 1,811 drivers stopped for speeding
- I-290 in Worcester County: 1,345 drivers stopped for speeding in Shrewsbury, another 1,671 flagged in Worcester
- Route 6 in Barnstable: 1,595 drivers stopped
- Route 24 in Brockton: 1,559 drivers stopped
- Mass Pike in Framingham: 1,383 drivers stopped
20-year-old Plymouth resident Chris Kane said he’s been nailed by State Police three times in the last ten months along Route 3.
“Can’t catch a break. It’s the worst,” Kane said. “[There’s] no cars late at night, so it’s open roads. You’re cruising along and you don’t even realize how fast you’re going sometimes.”
The most traffic stops for speeding occurred on Wednesdays (19,199), followed by Thursdays (18,560) and Tuesdays. The fewest number of drivers were flagged for speeding on Mondays (17,518), followed by Saturdays (17,519) and Sundays (17,760).
13,726 entries did not indicate the road or highway where the traffic stop occurred.
Full list of towns and locations where MSP issued speeding tickets:
- ACTON- 193 tickets on State Highway MA-2
- ANDOVER- 892 tickets on I-93, 374 tickets on I-495
- ARLINGTON- 238 tickets on State Highway MA-2
- ATHOL- 53 tickets on State Highway MA-2
- AUBURN- 430 tickets on Mass Pike, 168 tickets on I-395, 239 on Interstate 290
- AVON- 295 tickets on MA Route 24
- BARNSTABLE- 1,595 tickets on US-6
- BILLERICA- 682 tickets on US Route 3
- BOSTON- 280 tickets on Mass Pike, 594 on I-93,
- BRAINTREE- 245 tickets on I-93
- BRIDGEWATER- 699 tickets on MA-24
- BROCKTON- 1,559 tickets on MA Route 24
- CANTON- 224 tickets on I-93, 253 tickets on I-95
- CHELMSFORD- 458 tickets on U.S. Route 3
- CHELSEA- 62 tickets on U.S. Route 1
- DANVERS- 299 tickets on U.S. Route 1, 526 tickets on I-95
- DEDHAM- 601 tickets on I-95
- DUXBURY- 516 tickets on MA-3
- FITCHBURG- 240 tickets on State Highway MA-2
- FRAMINGHAM- 1,383 tickets on Mass Pike
- GARDNER- 805 tickets on State Highway MA-2
- GRAFTON- 443 tickets on Mass Pike
- HARVARD- 664 tickets on State Highway MA-2
- HAVERHILL- 763 tickets on I-495
- HOPKINTON- 115 tickets on Mass Pike, 648 on I-495
- HUDSON- 29 tickets on I-495
- LAWRENCE- 238 tickets on I-495
- LEOMINSTER- 351 tickets on State Highway MA-2, 198 tickets on Interstate 190
- LUDLOW- 842 tickets on Mass Pike
- LYNN- 306 tickets on MA-1A
- MALDEN- =15 tickets on MA-28
- MARLBOROUGH- 393 tickets on I-495
- MARSHFIELD- 52 tickets on MA-3
- MEDFORD- 416 tickets on I-93
- MILFORD- 711 tickets on I-495
- MILLBURY- 592 tickets on Mass Pike, 155 tickets on MA-146
- NEWBURY- 988 tickets on I-95
- NEWBURYPORT- 497 tickets on I-95
- NEWTON- 448 tickets on Mass Pike
- NORTHBOROUGH- 719 tickets on I-290
- NORWOOD- 107 tickets on I-95
- PEABODY- 212 tickets on I-95
- PLAINVILLE- 44 tickets on I-495
- PLYMOUTH- 1,811 tickets on State Highway MA-3
- SALEM- 4 tickets on MA-107
- SHREWSBURY- 1,345 tickets on I-290
- SOMERVILLE- 75 tickets on I-93, 38 tickets on MA-28
- STOUGHTON- 279 tickets on MA-24
- TAUNTON- 392 tickets on MA-140, 941 tickets on I-495
- TYNGSBORO- 344 tickets on MA-3
- UXBRIDGE- 535 tickets on MA-146
- WALTHAM- 280 tickets on I-95
- WAREHAM- 1,285 tickets on MA-25
- WEST BOYLSTON- 336 tickets on I-190
- WEYMOUTH- 327 tickets on MA-3
- WILMINGTON- 502 tickets on I-93
- WOBURN- 261 tickets on I-93
- WORCESTER- 1,671 tickets on I-290, 217 tickets on I-190, 128 tickets on MA-146
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW